her manner of receiving his revelation had but intensified his feeling for her. The few short moments seemed hours of struggle with himself ere he raised her to her feet and spoke quietly, in his old way.

He lifted her hand to his lips. “It is past, Miss Cassandra. We will drop these few moments out of your life into a deep well, and it shall be as if they had never been.” He thought as he spoke that the well was his own heart, but that he would not say, for henceforth his love and service must be selfless. “We may be good friends still? Just as we were?”

“Yes, suh,” she spoke meekly.

“And we can go right on helping each other, as we have done all these weeks? I do not need to leave you?”