He put his arm about her and held her for a moment closer.

But her head was lowered, not lifted up to his; and then she freed herself gently from his clasp.
She faced him with a little wrinkle of thought between her brows and spoke with an air of wisdom which went very prettily with the childlike beauty of her face.
"You are my friend," she said, "a friend I am very grateful for, but you are not more than that to me.

I am frank.

You see, I am thinking now of reasons which would not trouble me if I loved you.

Marriage with me would do you no good, would hurt you in your career." "No," he protested.
"But I am thinking that it would," she replied, steadily, "and I do not believe that I should give much thought to it, if I really loved you.