There is nothing very selfish in THAT love, I think ?' 'Selfish!' cried Tom.

'You have acted nobly.

To love her as I am sure you do, and yet in consideration for her state of dependence, not even to disclose--' 'What are you talking about, Pinch ?' said Martin pettishly: 'don't make yourself ridiculous, my good fellow! What do you mean by not disclosing ?' 'I beg your pardon,' answered Tom.

'I thought you meant that, or I wouldn't have said it.' 'If I didn't tell her I loved her, where would be the use of my being in love ?' said Martin: 'unless to keep myself in a perpetual state of worry and vexation ?' 'That's true,' Tom answered.

'Well! I can guess what SHE said when you told her,' he added, glancing at Martin's handsome face.
'Why, not exactly, Pinch,' he rejoined, with a slight frown; 'because she has some girlish notions about duty and gratitude, and all the rest of it, which are rather hard to fathom; but in the main you are right.
Her heart was mine, I found.' 'Just what I supposed,' said Tom.