"I can't help it," he said, "I've had a blow.

If I cut off now, I'll be able to--" "How can you talk of cutting off now ?" said Anne scornfully.

She stamped her foot at Reggie; she was crimson.

"How can you be so cruel?
I can't let you go until I know for certain that you are just as happy as you were before you asked me to marry you.

Surely you must see that, it's so simple." But it did not seem at all simple to Reginald.