"Max," she said rather breathlessly, "I--don't quite like it." "All right," he said imperturbably.

"Don't do it!" She paused, looking at him almost imploringly.

"You're sure it won't mean anything ?" "It can mean as much or as little as you like," said Max.
"I didn't mean--quite that," faltered Olga.

"But--it won't be--it never could be--like a real engagement; could it ?" "Like, yet unlike," said Max.

"It will be a sort of elastic and invisible bond, made to stretch to the utmost limit, never breaking of itself, though capable of being severed by either party at a moment's notice." Olga drew a breath of relief.