He was as little accustomed as other clergymen to be withstood by a girl.
"I am disappointed in you," said he.

"I fancied that when I--when I----" It was in his mind to say that he had selected her out of a large number of candidates to be his helpmeet, but he pulled himself up in time, and the pause that he made seemed purely emotional.

"When I loved you and got your promise to love me in return, you would share with me all the glory, the persecution, the work incidental to this crusade on behalf of the truth, but now----Ah! you can never have loved me." "Perhaps you are right, indeed," said she meekly.

She was ready to cede him this point if he set any store by it.
"Take care," said he, with some measure of sternness.

"Take care, if you fancy you love another man, that he may be worthy of you." "I do not love another man, Mr.Holland," said she gently; scarcely regretfully.
"Do you not ?" said he, with equal gentleness.