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214 would have given you up to Blake, if he had wanted to marry you, and you had loved him so that to marry him would have been for your happiness. I have kept away from you these weeks because I didn't want you to feel bound in any way, or to have any remorseful thoughts. I said from the beginning that I would take my chance, and wait your time. But I think that the time has come now for me to speak."

"It is generous of you," she said, very low; "now when no one can respect me; when I have given the two—when Lord Astar and Mr. Blake have a right to despise me."

"They have no right," cried Frank. "You are yourself pure, sweet, womanly as you have been always. I don't know what has passed between you and Blake. I don't want to know. No man can be so unutterable a scoundrel as to despise a woman for loving him—and you love Blake, my poor Elsie. It breaks my heart to see it, and yet I know it quite well."

"And in spite of that, you—you want" she said breathlessly.

"And in spite of that, I want you to marry me—that's what I want, Elsie. I want to have the right to protect you. I want Lord Astar—I want all the world to know to-morrow that you are my affianced wife. I am not a great match, Elsie dear, but I am great enough to protect you now. And you mightn't do better," he added, with an odd little laugh.

"Oh, Frank, you hurt me."

"I don't want to do that. And I don't want to take any advantage of you—and of your weakness to-night. If you don't want to bind yourself, let it be understood between us that our engagement is only before the world, and that in reality you are as free as you were yesterday. I shall not vex or worry you, Elsie. I shall not even ask you to kiss me. Everything shall be as you wish. I understand you and how you feel."

"No, Frank, you can't do that. And I couldn't sacrifice