He had, yet, nothing to offer the woman whom he should tell of his love.

He was by no means certain that he would finally graduate from the Military Academy.

Without a place in life, what had he to offer?
Would it be fair or honorable to seek to capture the love of this girl when his own future was yet so uncertain?
Yet caution and prudence seemed more likely to fly away every time he glanced at this dear girl.

In desperation Dick rose quickly.
"Laura," he said softly, "if we remain here all afternoon there is a lot that we shall fail to see.

Are you for going on with our walk ?" Laura Bentley looked up at him with something of a little start.
Perhaps she, too, had been thinking, but a girl may not speak all that passes in her mind.
"Yes," she answered; "let us keep on." Dick, as he walked beside her, was tortured with the feeling that Laura Bentley might not wait long before making her choice of men in the world.