Then he came toward me
impulsively.
"Miss Vaughan and I are engaged to be married," he said. "Some persons
may tell you that the engagement has been broken off; more than once,
I have offered to release her, but she refuses to be released. We love
each other."
The word "love" is a difficult one for us Anglo-Saxons to pronounce;
the voice in which Swain uttered it brought me to my feet, with
outstretched hand.
"If there's anything I can do for you, my boy," I said, "tell me."
"Thank you, Mr. Lester," and he returned my clasp. "You have done a
great deal already in giving me this letter so promptly. The only
other thing you can do is to permit me to stay here until to-night."
"Until to-night?"
"Miss Vaughan asks me to meet her to-night."
"In her father's grounds?"
"Yes."
"Unknown to him?"
"Yes."
"He is not friendly to you?"
"No."
I had a little struggle with myself.
"See here, Swain," I said, "sit down and let us talk this thing over
calmly. Before I promise anything, I should like to know more of the
story. From the glimpse I caught of Miss Vaughan, I could see that she
is very beautiful, and she also seemed to me to be very young.
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