"If Mrs. Elliott is tired
of me, I will go away, but not with Mr. Trevors. I would rather
die than marry a man I did not love, because of his gold."
"Noble girl!" was Mr. Hastings's involuntary exclamation, but Dora
did not hear it, and looking him in his face, she said, "do you
wish me to marry him?"
"Never, never," he answered, "him, nor any one else!"
"Then tell him so," said she, unmindful of the latter part of the
remark. "Tell him I respect him, but I cannot be his wife."
And rising to her feet she left the room, to wash away in another
fit of tears the excitement produced by her first offer.
Very still sat Mr. Hastings when she was gone, thought after
thought crowding fast upon him, and half bewildering him by their
intensity. He could answer Louise's question now! It had come to
him at last, sitting there with Mr. Trevor's letter in his hand,
and Dora at his feet. _Dora_ who was so dear to him, and his
first impulse was to hasten to her side, and sue for the love she
could not give the gray-haired Texan.
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