Your health has improved, and your face shows it." Fearing that she was not in an emotional condition to be bewildered and fascinated by a declaration of love, he queried whether he had not better put off his enterprise until a more susceptible moment.

Certainly, if he were without a rival; but there was Thurstane, ready any and every day to propose; it would not do to let _him_ have the first word, and cause the first heart-beat.

Coronado believed that to make sure of winning the race he must take the lead at the start.

Yes, he would offer himself now; he would begin by talking her into a receptive state of mind; that done, he would say with all his eloquence, "I love you." We must not suppose that the declaration would be a pure fib, or anything like it.

The man had no conscience, and he was almost incomparably selfish, but he was capable of loving, and he did love.