then　stops；　arrested　by　her　irresponsive　attitude。
  SHE；　with　a　light　sigh；　and　looking　down　at　the　paper；　which　she　has
  continued　to　hold　between　her　hands：　　〃There　was　a　timea　moment
  when　I　might　have　answered　as　you　wish。〃
  HE：　　〃Oh！　then　there　will　be　again。　　If　you　have　changed　once；　you
  may　change　once　more。　　Let　me　hope　that　some　timeany　time；　dearest〃
  …
  SHE；　quenching　him　with　a　look：　　〃Mr。　Ransom；　I　shall　NEVER　change
  toward　you！　　You　confess　that　you　had　your　opportunity；　and　that　you
  despised　it。〃
  HE：　　〃Oh！　NOT　despised　it！〃
  SHE：　　〃Neglected　it。〃
  HE：　　〃Not　wilfullyno。　　I　confess　that　I　was　stupidly；　vilely；
  pusillanpusillanillani〃　…
  SHE：　　〃'Monsly〃　…
  HE：　　〃Thanks'mously　unworthy　of　it；　but　I　didn't　despise　it；　I
  didn't　neglect　it；　and　if　you　will　only　let　me　show　by　a　lifetime　of
  devotion　how　dearly　and　truly　I　have　loved　you　from　the　first　moment
  I　drove　that　cow　away〃　…
  SHE：　　〃Mr。　Ransom；　I　have　told　you　that　I　should　never　change　toward
  you。　　That　cow　was　nothing　when　weighed　in　the　balance　against　your
  being　willing　to　leave　a　poor　girl；　whom　you　supposed　interested　in
  you；　and　to　whom　you　had　paid　the　most　marked　attention；　without　a
  word　to　show　her　that　you　cared　for　her。　　What　is　a　cow；　or　a　whole
  herd　of　cows；　as　compared　with　obliging　a　young　lady　to　offer　you
  money　that　you　hadn't　earned；　and　then　savagely　flinging　it　back　in
  her　face？　　A　yoke　of　oxen　would　be　nothingor　a　mad　bull。〃
  HE：　　〃Oh；　I　acknowledge　it！　　I　confess　it。〃
  SHE：　　〃And　you　own　that　I　am　right　in　refusing　to　listen　to　you　now？〃
  HE；　desolately：　　〃Yes；　yes。〃
  SHE：　　〃It　seems　that　you　gave　me　lessons　in　order　to　be　with　me；　and
  if　possible　to　interest　me　in　you；　and　then　you　were　going　away
  without　a　word。〃
  HE；　with　a　groan：　　〃It　was　only　because　I　was　afraid　to　speak。〃
  SHE：　　〃Oh；　is　THAT　any　excuse？〃
  HE：　　〃No；　none。〃
  SHE：　　〃A　man　ought　always　to　have　courage。〃　　After　a　pause；　in　which
  he　stands　before　her　with　bowed　head：　　〃Then　there's　nothing　for　me
  but　to　give　you　this　money。〃
  HE；　with　sudden　energy：　　〃This　is　too　much！　　I〃　…
  SHE；　offering　him　the　bank…notes：　　〃No；　it　is　the　exact　sum。　　I
  counted　it　very　carefully。〃
  HE：　　〃I　won't　take　it；　I　can't！　　I'll　never　take　it！〃
  SHE；　standing　with　the　money　in　her　outstretched　hand：　　〃I　have　your
  word　as　a　gentleman　that　you　will　take　it。〃
  HE；　gasping：　　〃Oh；　wellI　will　take　itI　will〃He　clutches　the
  money；　and　rushes　toward　the　door。　　〃Good…evening；　ahgood…by〃　…
  SHE；　calling　after　him：　　〃The　receipt；　Mr。　Ransom！　　Please　sign　this
  receipt！〃　　She　waves　the　paper　in　the　air。
  HE：　　〃Oh；　yes；　certainly！　　Where　is　itwhatwhich〃He　rushes　back
  to　her；　and　seizing　the　receipt；　feels　blindly　about　for　the　pen　and
  ink。　　〃Where　shall　I　sign？〃
  SHE：　　〃Read　it　first。〃
  HE：　　〃Oh；　it's　allall　right〃　…
  SHE：　　〃I　insist　upon　your　reading　it。　　It's　a　business　transaction。
  Read　it　aloud。〃
  HE；　desperately：　　〃Well；　well！〃　　He　reads。　　〃'Received　from　Miss
  Ethel　Reed；　in　full；　for　twenty…five　lessons　in　oil…painting；　one
  hundred　and　twenty…five　dollars；　and　her　hand；　heart；　and　dearest
  love　forever。'〃　　He　looks　up　at　her。　　〃Ethel！〃
  SHE；　smiling：　　〃Sign　it；　sign　it！〃
  HE；　catching　her　in　his　arms　and　kissing　her：　　〃Oh；　yesHERE！〃
  SHE；　pulling　a　little　away　from　him；　and　laughing：　　〃Oh；　oh！　　I　only
  wanted　ONE　signature！　　Twenty　autographs　are　too　many；　unless　you'll
  let　me　trade　them　off；　as　the　collectors　do。〃
  HE：　　〃No；　keep　them　all！　　I　couldn't　think　of　letting　any　one　else
  have　them。　　One　more！〃
  SHE：　　〃No；　it's　quite　enough！〃
  SHE　frees　herself；　and　retires　beyond　the　table。　　〃This　unexpected
  affection〃　…
  HE：　　〃IS　it　unexpectedseriously？〃
  SHE：　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
  HE：　　〃Oh；　nothing！〃
  SHE：　　〃Yes；　tell　me！〃
  HE：　　〃I　hopedI　thoughtperhapsthat　you　might　have　been　prepared
  for　some　such　demonstration　on　my　part。〃
  SHE：　　〃And　why　did　you　thinkhopeperhapsTHAT；　Mr。　Ransom；　may　I
  ask？〃
  HE：　　〃If　I　hadn't；　how　should　I　have　dared　to　speak？〃
  SHE：　　〃Dared？　　You　were　obliged　to　speak！　　Well；　since　it's　all　over；
  I　don't　mind　saying　that　I　DID　have　some　slight　apprehensions　that
  something　in　the　way　of　a　declaration　might　be　extorted　from　you。〃
  HE：　　〃Extorted？　　Oh！〃　　He　makes　an　impassioned　rush　toward　her。
  SHE；　keeping　the　table　between　them：　　〃No；　no。〃
  HE：　　〃Oh；　I　merely　wished　to　ask　why　you　chose　to　make　me　suffer　so；
  after　I　had　come　to　the　point。〃
  SHE：　　〃Ask　it　across　the　table；　then。〃　　After　a　moment's　reflection；
  〃I　made　you　sufferI　made　you　sufferso　that　you　might　have　a
  realizing　sense　of　what　you　had　made　ME　suffer。〃
  HE；　enraptured　by　this　confession：　　〃Oh；　you　angel！〃
  SHE；　with　tender　magnanimity：　　〃No；　only　a　womana　poor；　trusting；
  foolish　woman！〃　　She　permits　him　to　surround　the　table；　with
  imaginable　results。　　Then；　with　her　head　on　his　shoulder：　　〃You'll
  NEVER　let　me　regret　it；　will　you；　darling？　　You'll　never　oblige　me　to
  punish　you　again；　dearest；　will　you？　　Oh；　it　hurt　ME　far　worse　to　SEE
  your　pain　than　it　did　you　totofeel　it！〃　　On　the　other　side　of　the
  partition；　Mr。　Grinnidge's　pipe　falls　from　his　lips；　parted　in
  slumber；　and　shivers　to　atoms　on　the　register。　　〃Oh！〃　　She　flies　at
  the　register　with　a　shriek　of　dismay；　and　is　about　to　close　it。
  〃That　wretch　has　been　listening；　and　has　heard　every　word！〃
  HE；　preventing　her：　　〃What　wretch？　　Where？〃
  SHE：　　〃Don't　you　hear　him；　mumbling　and　grumbling　there？〃
  GRINNIDGE：　　〃Well；　I　swear！　　Cash　value　of　twenty…five　dollars；　and
  untold　toil　in　coloring　it！〃
  RANSOM；　listening　with　an　air　of　mystification：　　〃Who's　that？〃
  SHE：　　〃Gummidge；　Grimmidgewhatever　you　called　him。　　Oh！〃　　She
  arrests　herself　in　consternation。　　〃Now　I　HAVE　done　it！〃
  HE：　　〃Done　what？〃
  SHE：　　〃Ohnothing！〃
  HE：　　〃I　don't　understand。　　Do　you　mean　to　say　that　my　friend
  Grinnidge's　room　is　on　the　other　aide　of　the　wall；　and　that　you　can
  hear　him　talk　through　the　register？〃
  SHE　preserves　the　silence　of　abject　terror。　　He　stoops　over　the
  register；　and　calls　down　it。　　〃Grinnidge！　　Hallo！〃
  GRINNIDGE：　　〃Hallo；　yourself！〃
  RANSOM；　to　Miss　Reed：　　〃Sounds　like　the　ghostly　squeak　of　the
  phonograph。〃　　To　Grinnidge：　　〃What's　the　trouble？〃
  GRINNIDGE：　　〃Smashed　my　pipe。　　Dozed　off　and　let　it　drop　on　this
  infernal　register。〃
  RANSOM；　turning　from　the　register　with　impressive　deliberation：
  〃Miss　Reed；　may　I　ask　HOW　you　came　to　know　that　his　name　was
  Gummidge；　or　Grimmidge；　or　whatever　I　called　him？〃
  SHE：　　Oh；　dearest；　I　CAN'T　tell　you！　　Oryes；　I　had　better。〃
  Impulsively：　　〃I　will　judge　you　by　myself。　　_I_　could　forgive　YOU
  anything！〃
  HE；　doubtfully：　　〃Oh；　could　you？〃
  SHE：　　〃Everything！　　I　hadI　had　better　make　a　clean　breast　of　it。
  Yes；　I　had。　　Though　I　don't　like　to。　　II　listened！〃
  HE：　　〃Listened？〃
  SHE：　　〃Through　the　register　totowhatyouwere　saying　before
  youcame　in　here。〃　　Her　head　droops。
  HE：　　〃Then　you　heard　everything？〃
  SHE：　　〃Kill　me；　but　don't　look　SO　at　me！　　It　was　accidental　at　first…
  …indeed　it　was；　and　then　I　recognized　your　voice；　and　then　I　knew　you
  were　talking　about　me；　and　I　had　so　much　at　stake；　and　I　did　love　you
  so　dearly！　　You　WILL　forgive　me；　darling？　　It　wasn't　as　if　I　were
  listening　with　any　bad　motive。〃
  HE；　taking　her　in　his　arms：　　〃Forgive　you？　　Of　course　I　do。　　But　you
  must　change　this　room　at　once；　Ethel；　you　see　you　hear　everything　on
  the　other　side；　too。〃
  SHE：　　〃Oh；　not　if　you　whisper　on　this。　　You　couldn't　hear　US？〃　　At　a
  dubious　expression　of　his：　　〃You　DIDN'T　hear　us？　　If　you　did；　I　can
  never　forgive　you！〃
  HE：　　〃It　was　accidental　at　firstindeed　it　was；　and　then　I
  recognized　your　voice；　and　then　I　knew　you　were　talking　about　me；　and
  I　had　so　much　at　stake；　and　I　did　love　you　so　dearly！〃
  SHE：　　〃All　that　has　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　it。　　How　much　did　you
  hear？〃
  HE；　with　exemplary　meekness：　　〃Only　what　you　were　saying　before
  Grinnidge　came　in。　　You　didn't　whisper　then。　　I　had　to　wait　there　for
  him　while〃　…
  SHE：　　〃While　you　were　giving　your　good　resolutions　a　rest？〃
  HE：　　〃While　I　was　giving　my　good　resolutions　a　rest。〃
  SHE：　　〃And　that　accounts　for　your　determination　to　humble　yourself
  so？〃
  HE：　　〃It　seemed　perfectly　providential　that　I　should　have　known　just
  what　conditions　you　were　going　to　exact　of　me。〃
  SHE：　　〃Oh；　don't　make　light　of　it！　　I　can　tell　you　it's　a　very
  serious　matter。〃
  HE：　　〃It　was　very　serious　for　me　when　you　didn't　meet　my　self…
  abasement　as　you　had　led　me　to　expect　you　would。〃
  SHE：　　〃Don't　make　fun！　　I'm　trying　to　think　whether　I　can　forgive
  you。〃
  HE；　with　insinuation：　　〃Don't　you　believe　you　could　think　better　if
  you　put　your　head　on　my　shoulder？〃
  SHE：　　〃Nonsense！　　Then　I　should　forgive　you　without　thinking。〃　　After
  a　season　of　reflection：　　〃No；　I　CAN'T　forgive　you。　　I　never　could
  forgive　eavesdropping。　　It's　TOO　low。〃
  HE；　in　astonishment：　　〃Why；　you　did　it　yourself！〃
  SHE：　　〃But　you　began　it。　　Besides；　it's　very　different　for　a　man。
  Women　are　weak；　poor；　helpless　creatures。　　They　have　to　use　finesse。
  But　a　man　should　be　above　it。〃
  HE：　　〃You　said　you　could　forgive　me　anything。〃
  SHE：　　〃Ah；　but　I　didn't　know　what　you'd　been　doing！〃
  HE；　with　pensive　resignation；　and　a　fe