He stopped, for she had flung out her hands with an almost agonized gesture, and her eyes implored him though she spoke no word.
"Won't you listen to me just this once--just this once?" he pleaded. "My dear, I love you so. I love you enough for both if you'll only marry me, and give me the chance of making you happy."
An unwonted note of feeling sounded in his voice. He stretched out his hand to her.
"Doris, darling, won't you change your mind? I'm miserable without you."
And then very suddenly Doris found her voice. She spoke with breathless entreaty. "Hugh, don't--don't! I can't listen to you. I married Jeff Ironside this morning."
His hand fell. He stared at her as if he thought her mad. "You--married--Jeff Ironside! I don't believe it!"
She clenched her hands tightly to still her agitation. "But it's true," she said.
She nodded vehemently, keeping her eyes on his. "It's true," she said again.
He straightened himself up with the instinctive movement of a man bracing himself to meet a sudden strain. "But why? How? I didn't even know you knew the man."
She nodded again. "He helped me once when I was out cubbing, and I went to his house. After that--when he heard that I had nothing to live on--he came and asked me if I would marry him. And I was very miserable because nobody wanted me. So I said 'Yes.'"
He bent slowly towards her, looking into her eyes. "My dear, didn't you really know--didn't you understand?"
She shook her head; her eyes were suddenly full of tears. "No, Hugh."
He held out his hand again and took hers. "Don't cry, Doris! You haven't lost much. I shall get over it somehow. I know you never cared for me."
She bent her head with some murmured words he could not catch.
He leaned nearer. "What, dear, what? You never did, did you?"
He waited for her answer, and at last through tears it came. "I've been struggling so hard, so hard, to keep myself from caring."
He was silent a moment, and again it was as if he were collecting his strength for that which had to be endured. Then slowly: "You thought I wasn't in earnest?" he said. "You thought I didn't care enough?"
She did not answer him in words; her silence was enough.
There came the thud of horses' hoofs upon the grass, and his hand relinquished hers. He turned to see Jeff Ironside barely ten paces away, leading the two animals. Very pale but wholly collected, Hugh moved to meet him.