"She was eighteen and I was twenty-two when it
began. I was home for a summer vacation, and she had just come to help
her aunt as infant teacher at the school. All the men were wild about
her, but she had no use for any of 'em till I come along. We met along
the shore or on the cliffs. We met constantly. We loved each other like
mad. It got beyond all reason--all restraint. We didn't look ahead,
either of us. We were young, and it was so infernally sweet. I'm not
offering any excuse--only telling you the simple truth. You won't
understand of course."
She pressed closer to him. "Why shouldn't I understand?"
He leaned his head against her. "God bless you, my dear! You're very good
to me--far better than I deserve. I was a blackguard, I know. But I never
meant to let her down. That was almost as much her doing as mine--poor
little soul! We were found out at last, and there was a fearful row with
my people. I wanted to take her away then and there, and marry her. But
she wouldn't hear of it--neither would her aunt--a hard, proud woman! I
didn't know then--no one knew--that she was expecting a child, or I'd
have defied 'em all. Instead, she urged and entreated me to go away for a
few weeks--give her time to think, she said.
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