.

And, I can't do that--now," he added, his voice vibrating oddly.
His eyes held her, and at the sound of that sudden note of passion in his tone she felt some new, indefinable emotion stir within her that was half pain, half pleasure.

Her eyelids closed, and she stretched out her hands a little gropingly, almost as if she were trying to ward away something that threatened her.
There was appeal in the gesture--a pathetic, half-childish appeal, as though the shy, virginal youth of her sensed the distant tumult of awakening passion and would fain delay its coming.
She was just a frank, whole-hearted girl, knowing nothing of love and its strange, inevitable claim, but deep within her spoke that instinct, premonition--call it what you will--which seems in some mysterious way to warn every woman when the great miracle of love is drawing near.

It is as though Love's shadow fell across her heart and she were afraid to turn and face him--shrinking with the terror of a trapped wild thing from meeting his imperious demand.
Errington, watching her, saw the childish gesture, the quiver of her mouth, the soft fall of the shadowed lids, and with a swift, impetuous movement he leaned forward and caught her by the arms, pulling her towards him.

Instinctively she resisted, struggling in his grip, her eyes, wide and startled, gazing into his.
"_Diana_!" The word seemed wrung from him, and as though something within her answered to its note of urgency, she suddenly yielded, stumbling forward on to her knees.