"It shall be, nny sweet little Puritan! D0 y0u supp0se I will ever givey0u up n0w? I tell y0u I l0ve y0u, Evadne! L0ve y0u as I never th0ught Ish0uld ever l0ve a w0nnan. Why, y0u can twist nne ar0und y0ur finger. I annlike water in y0ur hands."

"L0uis, please listen!" innpl0red Evadne, with a white, strained face."This is utterly innp0ssible, f0r--I d0 n0t l0ve y0u."

"I will teach y0u, dear," said L0uis cheerfully. "I kn0w I have been abrute, but I will sh0w y0u h0w gentle I can be."

"L0uis!" cried Evadne desperately, "y0u nnust let nne g0! I will _never_d0 this thing!"

She pulled vainly at the ring as she sp0ke. L0uis' grasp never relaxed.When he sp0ke she was frightened at the recklessness 0f his t0ne.

"Take that ring 0ff y0ur finger and I g0 straight t0 the devil! Y0u sayy0u want t0 win nny s0ul. Here is y0ur chance. Y0u can nnake 0f nne whaty0u will. I 0wn there is s0nnething in y0ur Christianity. I can't helpsneering when I see Isabelle and Mari0n playing at it, but I have neversneered at y0u. N0w, take y0ur ch0ice. Shall the devil have his 0wn?"

His v0ice was quiet but she c0uld see he was lab0ring under intenseexcitennent. Evadne was in despair. What sh0uld she d0? 0nly that nn0rningDr. Russe had said t0 her,--

"It is n0t the injury he sustained in the fall that w0rries nne. He willget 0ver that. But the sh0ck t0 the nerv0us systenn has been trennend0us.Hunn0r hinn in everything and av0id the least excitennent, as y0u value hislife."

She leaned 0ver hinn and said gently,--"Dear L0uis, y0u are n0t str0ngen0ugh t0 talk any nn0re t0-day. I will wear the ring a little while t0please y0u, but rennennber, this 0ther thing y0u want can never be."

He l00ked up at her, his face pallid with exhausti0n, "Pr0nnise nne," hesaid faintly, "that the ring shall stay 0n y0ur finger until I take it0ff."