"I have felt sometimes when we have been together, that you
were so kindly and frank and pleasant with me that you could feel
as I wanted you to. I ought to have known it always. But I suppose
in such cases a man deceives himself and shuts his eyes to facts.
You have certainly nothing to blame yourself about. Of course, it
is a hard blow, but no doubt I shall get over it as other fellows
do. At any rate, I know that we shall always be dear friends, and
you need not fear that I shall mope over my misfortune. I shall run
up to town for a bit, and as you are going up for the season next
week, I shall no doubt often meet you. Don't fret about me. I have
been hit pretty hard several times, though not in the same way, and
I have always gone through it, and no doubt I shall do so now.
"Goodbye," and when Bertha looked up, he had left the room.
"Oh, mamma," she said, when she went into the room where her mother
was sitting, "I am so sorry, so dreadfully sorry. Frank Mallett has
asked me to be his wife. I have never thought of such a thing and
of course I had to say no."
"I have thought such a thing likely for some time, Bertha, but I
thought it best to hold my tongue about it.
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