Rhoda Fleming -- Volume 2

ke the saying of it well-nigh impossible. And yet silence might be misinterpreted by her. He would have drawn her to his heart a

what father sa

ed the words. "No!" and he

d. "You do not? No! You kn

as a cry for life; but the answer did not come at once hotly as her pass

she kept her heart closed from him, and he stood sadly judicial, with a conscience of his own, t

nvulsively, moaning, "Oh!"

nd her, whatever she has done or not done, ask me. Ask me, and I'll revenge her. Here am I, and I know nothing, and you despise me because-don't think me rude or unkind. This hand is yours, if

er sister's innocence, and she had scorn of one who would not chivalrously advance upon the risks of right and wrong, and rank himself prime champion of a woman belied, absent, and so helpless. Besides, t

tinct served

to tell him what had taken plac

that Robert would. Love for him would have prompted her to confide in him absolutely. She was not soften

here is my hand to do my utmost for her, but I love you, and I've loved you for some time. I'd be proud to marry you and help on with the old farm. You don't love me yet-which is a pretty hard thing for me to see to be certain of. B

the mystery and misery wherein Dahlia lay engulfed. She had no understanding for Robert'

y a man who supposes he

ppose it,"

d what fa

I don't think the same. Wha

is unlucky sentence. All her co

be separated and thought of as two people; and we are one, and will be till we die. I feel my si

nguish check

oesn't touch you. If it did, it'd be the same to me. I ask you to ta

guilty of flashed through her, filling her with ma

husband to remind

is esteem, wilfully though she rebutted his straightforward earnestness and he had

ised, so that she could make nothing of his look. It see

Though you were as wild as a cat of the woods, by heaven! I'd rather have the ta

gue, that she was lost in the astou

can make something out of a girl with a temper like yours. You don't kn

up with a ve

old Gammon snoring on his pillow up aloft; and who kept me to it? Did you see I never touched liquor? What did you guess from that?-that I was a mild sort of fellow? So I am: but I haven't got that reputation in other parts. Your father 'd like me to marry you, and I'm ready. Who kept me to work,

always thought I did, when I was dancing like mad to hell. I know I do now, and you're the girl to keep me to it. I've learnt that much by degrees. With any other, I should have been playing the foo

. Offence or no offence, I speak and you listen. You did go out. I was in love with you then, too. I saw London had been doing its misc

your looks. I can read a face like yours, and it's my home, my home!-by heaven, it is. Now, Rhoda, you know a little more of me. Perhaps I'm more of a man than you t

had been previously dark to her, she had steeled her spirit as she felt herself be

f caught in a

e no love for

doubt," h

come listless, though he looked frankly at her and a

lly astonishing recurrence of humility, and more spiritually subdued

h! my dear, my own siste

I'll do what I can, if

e can't do wrong. My D

u might really

Mister," s

you know I am safe. But I haven't a feeling of any kind while my sister'

it with a show of heartiness:

about the right size for a couple. There-don't be frightened! I was only thinking-I'll let go your hand in a minute. If Dahlia's to be found, I'll find her. Thank you for that squeeze. You'd wake a dead man to life, if you wanted to. To-morrow I set about the business. That's settled.

dle and starte

fearful as a doe.

ndle dropped; she was going to pick it up, bu

Do you think there's no danger in it? Doesn't he go about boasting of it now, and saying-that girl! But kiss me and I'll forget it; I'll forgive you. Kiss me only once, and I shal

ed, "you are. You

ky dog, then, fo

you to

in my

erable thin

le, my girl? I shall

ver my fri

gentleman,

! afte

like a white rose, and next you

e!" Rhoda

'm not a g

are

ou a lady-eh? the lips

being made a

d in the clutc

d said: "We saw Mr. Blan

hl

accusation that she had cheris

at had come upon him, was

kisses for this or that young gentleman. Quite right. You really can defend yourself. That's all I was up to. So

o trust me without insult

world of trouble for a kiss of

ng ended in a speculat

mood, and go; and with a gentle "Good night," that m