Blanche looked back again at Arnold.
"Consider yourself encouraged," she whispered; and instantly added, with the ineradicable female instinct of self-defense, "within limits!" Arnold made a last plunge--straight to the bottom, this time.
"Consider yourself loved," he burst out, "without any limits at all." It was all over--the words were spoken--he had got her by the hand.
Again the perversity of the tender passion showed itself more strongly than ever.

The confession which Blanche had been longing to hear, had barely escaped her lover's lips before Blanche protested against it! She struggled to release her hand.

She formally appealed to Arnold to let her go.
Arnold only held her the tighter.
"Do try to like me a little!" he pleaded.

"I am so fond of _you!_" Who was to resist such wooing as this ?--when you were privately fond of him yourself, remember, and when you were certain to be interrupted in another moment! Blanche left off struggling, and looked up at her young sailor with a smile.
"Did you learn this method of making love in the merchant-service ?" she inquired, saucily.
Arnold persisted in contemplating his prospects from the serious point of view.
"I'll go back to the merchant-service," he said, "if I have made you angry with me." Blanche administered another dose of encouragement.
"Anger, Mr.Brinkworth, is one of the bad passions," she answered, demurely.

"A young lady who has been properly brought up has no bad passions." There was a sudden cry from the players on the lawn--a cry for "Mr.
Brinkworth." Blanche tried to push him out.