"Peter," she began, and stopped.

He glanced at her quickly, and saw in a minute that the one word had spoken truly to him.
"Oh, Hilda," he said, "do you really care all that?
You can't possibly! Oh, if we were not here, and I could tell you all I feel! But, dear, I love you; I know now that I have loved you for months, and it is just because I love you that I must go." "Peter," began Hilda again, and again stopped.

Then she took a grip of herself, and spoke out bravely.

"Oh, Peter," she said, "you've guessed right.

I never meant you to--at least, not yet, but it is terrible to think of you going out there.