Kilmeny of the Orchard 
     
    
   
   
    
     ——that he had loved her from the first time 
     
     he had seen her in that old orchard. He 
     
     spoke humbly but not fearfully, for he 
     
     believed that she loved him, and he had 
     
     little expectation of any rebuff. 
     
    

    
     “ Kilmeny, will you be my wife? ” he 
     
     asked finally, taking her hands in his. 
     
    

    
     Kilmeny had listened with averted face. 
     
     At first she had blushed painfully but now 
     
     she had grown very pale. When he had 
     
     finished speaking and was waiting for her 
     
     answer, she suddenly pulled her hands 
     
     away, and, putting them over her face, 
     
     burst into tears and noiseless sobs. 
     
    

    
     “ Kilmeny, dearest, have I alarmed 
     
     you? Surely you knew before that I loved 
     
     you. Don’t you care for me? ” Eric said, 
     
     putting his arm about her and trying to 
     
     draw her to him. But she shook her head 
     
     sorrowfully, and wrote with compressed 
     
     lips, 
     
    

    
     “ Yes, I do love you, but I will never 
     
     marry you, because I cannot speak.” 
     
    

    
     “ Oh, Kilmeny,” said Eric smiling, for 
     
    

    
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