I had to acknowledge the justice of his claim, but
nevertheless I hated him.
"Sally, I ask you to trust me in spite of my reputation."
"You ask me a great deal," she replied.
"Yes, it's too much. Let it be then only this--you'll wait. And while
you wait, promise not to flirt with Wright and Waters."
"Russ, I'll not let George or any of them so much as dare touch me," she
declared in girlish earnestness, her voice rising. "I'll promise if
you'll promise me not to go into those saloons any more."
One word would have brought her into my arms for good and all. The
better side of Sally Langdon showed then in her appeal. That appeal was
as strong as the drawing power of her little face, all eloquent with its
light, and eyes dark with tears, and lips wanting to smile.
My response should have been instant. How I yearned to give it and win
the reward I imagined I saw on her tremulous lips! But I was bound. The
grim, dark nature of my enterprise there in Linrock returned to stultify
my eagerness, dispel my illusion, shatter my dream.
For one instant it flashed through my mind to tell Sally who I was, what
my errand was, after the truth. But the secret was not mine to tell.
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