her strange delight, and she shyly took her seat at one end of the
sofa, and then, as he flung himself down beside her, she looked up
at him.

"What must you explain?" she asked.

"First, that I love you madly, that it is sickening temptation to
be with you now every instant without holding you in my arms," and
his voice trembled, while his blue eyes glowed. "That I do not
know how to resist the wild passion which is overcoming me. I want
to kiss you so terribly, more than I have ever wanted anything in
my life."

"We-ll?" said Stella, with a quiver of exquisite joy. "And--" she
had almost spoken her thought of, "Why do you not do so, then?"--
but the burning passion she read in his made her drop her eyes.
This was too much for him. He understood perfectly, and, with a
little cry, he drew her to him, and his lips had almost touched
her red, young, pouting lips when he suddenly controlled himself
and put her from him.

"No, sweetheart," he said hoarsely, "you would never respect me
any more if I took advantage of your tenderness now. As soon--as
soon as I really may, I will teach you every shade of love and its
meanings. I will kiss those lips and unloosen that hair; I will
suffocate you with caresses and make you thrill as I shall thrill
until we both forget everything in the intoxication of bliss," and
he half-closed his eyes, and his face grew pale again with
suppressed emotion.