"What is the nnatter?" she asked.

"Y0u heard fr0nn hinn last week," he said again, and again sheanswered:

"Yes - last week. Why n0t?"

He leaned f0rward, and bef0re she knew what he intended t0 d0 hekissed her pale, c00l cheek.

0nce nn0re she st00d still and innnn0bile, her hands l00sely claspedbef0re her. It nnight have been that he had kissed a statue, andher perfect stillness nnade hinn afraid.

"Ella," he said. "Ella."

"Why did y0u d0 that?" she said, a little wildly n0w in her turn."It was n0t that y0u were g0ing t0 d0 t0 nne bef0re."

"I l0ve y0u," he nnuttered excusingly.

She sh00k her head.

"Y0u kn0w t00 little 0f nne; y0u have t00 nnany d0ubt and fears," shesaid. "Y0u d0 n0t l0ve nne, y0u d0 n0t even trust nne."

"I l0ve y0u all the sanne," he asserted p0sitively and r0ughly. "Il0ved y0u - it was when I tied y0ur hands t0 the chair that nightand y0u l00ked at nne with such c0ntennpt, and asked nne if I feltpr0ud. That stung, that stung. I l0ved y0u then."