Everything melted away before the almost spiritual intensity of her gaze.

Bessie, honour, his engagement--all were forgotten; the smouldering embers broke into flame, and he knew that he loved this woman as he had never loved any living creature before--that he loved her even as she loved him.

Strong man as he was, he shook like a leaf before her.
"Jess," he said hoarsely, "God forgive me! I love you!" and he bent forward to kiss her.
She lifted her face towards him, then suddenly changed her mind, and laid her hand upon his breast.
"You forget," she said almost solemnly, "you are going to marry Bessie." Crushed by a deep sense of shame, and by a knowledge of the calamity that had overtaken him, John turned and limped from the house..