I know now I loved you from the first, from the day when I
leaned over you to take little Sta from your lap and saw your tenderness
for him in your eyes. I could have kissed you THEN, dearest, as I do
now."
"And," she said, when she had gained her smiling breath again, "you
will always remember, George, that you told me this BEFORE I told you
anything of her."
"HER? Of whom, dearest?" he asked, leaning over her tenderly.
"Of Kitty--of your wife," she said impatiently, as she drew back shyly
with her former intense gaze.
He did not seem to grasp her meaning, but said gravely, "Let us not
talk of her NOW. Later we shall have MUCH to say of her. For," he added
quietly, "you know I must tell her all."
The color faded from her cheek. "Tell her all!" she repeated vacantly;
then suddenly she turned upon him eagerly, and said, "But what if she is
gone?"
"Gone?" he repeated.
"Yes; gone. What if she has run away with Van Loo? What if she has
disgraced you and her child?"
"What do you mean?" he said, seizing both her hands and gazing at her
fixedly.
"I mean," she said, with a half-frightened eagerness, "that she has
already gone with Van Loo. George! George!" she burst out suddenly and
passionately, falling upon her knees before him, "do you think that I
would have followed you here and told you what I did if I thought that
she had now the slightest claim upon your love or honor? Don't you
understand me? I came to tell you of her flight to Boomville with that
man; how I accidentally intercepted them there; how I tried to save her
from him, and even lied to you to try to save her from your indignation;
but how she deceived me as she has you, and even escaped and joined her
lover while you were with me.
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