Page:The time spirit; a romantic tale (IA timespiritromant00snaiiala).pdf/199

 "Be it so, Miss Prim—but I don't apologize. One's uncles, cousins, aunts, they are all alike, whether they are yours or mine. They simply grovel before material greatness—the greatness that comes of money—that begins and ends with money."

"Don't be rude, sir!" The stamp of a particularly smart riding boot, and a flash of angry eyes were as barbs to this fiat.

"They are all so set on things that don't matter a bit, that they lose sight altogether of the one thing that is really important."

"Pray, what is that?" The eyes held now a lurking, troubled smile; for him at that moment, their fascination verged upon the tragic.

Suddenly both the slender wrists were seized by this forcible thinker. "Why the time spirit, you charmer. And that just asks one simple question. Do you love me—or do you not?"

IV

She tried to keep her eyes from his.

"You can't hide the truth," he cried triumphantly. "And if you think I'm going to lose you for the sake of some stupid piece of prejudice you don't know what it means to live five years in God's own country."

She seemed to shrink into herself. "Don't you see the impossibility of the whole thing?" she gasped.

"Frankly, I don't, or I wouldn't be such a cad as to badger you. If you marry me an effete strain is going to be your debtor. Just look at them—poor devils! Look at the two who died untimely. That's the feudal