But I am in your hands--I am in your power.
That is why I say, John Cowles, that you must try to think, that you
must do nothing which shall make me hate you or make you hate yourself."
"I thought you missed me when I was gone," I murmured faintly.
"I did miss you," she said. "The world seemed ended for me. I needed
you, I wanted you--" I turned toward her swiftly. "Wanted me?"
"I was glad to see you come back. While you were gone I thought. Yes,
you have been brave and you have been kind, and you have been strong.
Now I am only asking you still to be brave, and kind, and strong."
"But do you love me, will you love me--can you--"
"Because we are here," she said, "I will not answer. What is right, John
Cowles, that we should do."
Woman is strongest when armored in her own weakness. My hands fell to
the ground beside me. The heats vanished from my blood. I shuddered. I
could not smile without my mouth going crooked, I fear. But at last I
smiled as best I could, and I said to her, "Ellen! Ellen!" That was all
I could find to say.
CHAPTER XXXI
THE BETROTHAL
Strength came to us as we had need, and gradually even the weaker of us
two became able to complete the day's journey without the exhaustion it
at first had cost her.
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