"
Her great gray eyes were glowing mistily.
"Mr. Bayne, this is splendid of you. I--I shall go on more bravely
because you have been so kind. But I won't let you make such a sacrifice
or mix in a thing that others may think disloyal, treacherous. You know
how it looks. Why, on the steamer and on the way up to France and even
last evening--you see I've guessed now why you followed me--you didn't
trust me yourself."
"I know it," I confessed humbly. "I can't believe I was such an idiot.
Somebody ought to perform a surgical operation on my brain. I apologize;
I'm down in the dust; I feel like groveling. Won't you forgive me? I
promise you won't have to do it twice."
This time it was she who said: "But--" and paused uncertainly. I could
see she was wavering, and I massed my horse, foot, and dragoons for the
attack.
"You'll please consider me," I proclaimed firmly, "to be a tyrant. I
am so much bigger than you are that you can't possibly drive me off. I
don't mean to interfere or to ask questions, or to bother you. But I vow
I'm coming with you if I cling to the running-board!"
Her lashes fluttered as she racked her brains for new protests.
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