"You must have known it all, Ethel," the Captain was saying
steadily; "how my whole life has seemed to go into yours. I have
never told you. I was sure you knew it, without any telling, and I
have been waiting until the war was over, before asking you to go
home with me, as my wife. The--" he caught his breath sharply, "the
war is over for me now, dearest. I can't ask you to go home with me;
but--Tell me, Ethel, I have not been mistaken, all these months? You
have cared for me, as I have cared for you?" The last words came out
with the roundness of tone he had used in health; but there was a
weary drag to the hand that drew her hand still nearer to his cheek.
Ethel faltered. Then, soldier-like, she braced herself to fight to a
finish. It was not her fault that the man had mistaken her friendly,
cordial liking for something deeper, infinitely more lasting. She
had never consciously played with him, never sought to win his love.
Blame there was none; it was all only a mistake, albeit a terrible
one. Nevertheless--
Desperately she glanced up from the blue eyes, still so wishfully
fixed upon her own, up to the drawn, white face of the haggard man
on the farther side of the bed.
Pages:
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235