He had listened to her with a rigid patience, but as her words went into silence it seemed as if the iron will by which till then he had held himself in check had suddenly snapped.
He stood for a second or two longer with an odd smile on his face and that in his eyes which startled her into a momentary feeling that was almost panic; then with a single, swift movement he bent and caught her to him.
"And you think that counts!" he said.

"You think that anything on earth counts--but this!" His lips were upon hers as he ended, stopping all protest, all utterance.

He kissed her hotly, fiercely, holding her so pressed that above the wild throbbing of her own heart she felt the deep, strong beat of his.

His action was passionate and overwhelming.

She would have withstood him, but she could not; and there was that within her that rejoiced, that exulted, because she could not.