Do you know her well, Doctor?' 'Well,' I
answered, 'I know her slightly, --she is my wife.'"
He had told the little incident brightly; but as he came to the end, his
voice gradually lowered, and as he pronounced the last word, his eyes
sought hers. Her eyelids fluttered; her breath seemed suspended.
"I said you were my wife," he repeated softly, leaning forward, his hands
grasping the chair-arms.
"And what," asked Ruth, a little excited ring in her voice, --"what did
Will say?"
"Who cared?" he asked, quickly moving closer to her; "do you?" He caught
her hand in his, scarce knowing what he said, and interlaced his fingers
with hers.
"Ruth," he asked below his breath, "have you forgotten entirely what we are
to each other?"
It was such a cruel lover's act to make her face him thus, her bosom
panting, her face changing from white to red and from red to white.
"Have you, sweet love?" he insisted.
"No," she whispered, trying to turn her head from him.
"No, who?"
With an irrepressible movement she sprang up, pushing his hand from hers.
He rose also, his face pale and disturbed, and indescribable fear
overpowering him.
"You mean," he said quietly, "that you no longer love me, --say it now and
have it over."
"Oh," she cried in exquisite pain, "why do you tantalize me so--can't you
see that--"
She looked so beautiful thus confessed that with sudden ecstacy he drew her
to him and pressed his lips in one long kiss to hers.
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