She must not be of the circus."
"Mrs. Braddock," said he, rising to his full height, "I only ask you
to believe that I love her, and that I, at least, will not change.
Will you change, Christine?"
"No," said the girl, giving him her hand as she rose to look into his
eyes with the whole of her young heart glowing in hers. "I will not
change, David."
"Then, Mrs. Braddock, as a Jenison of Jenison Hall I formally ask you
for the hand of your daughter. A gentleman may keep his word of honor
for five years--for a hundred years. I pledge my love, my name, my
fortune to her."
"David," cried the mother, twisting her fingers in the agony of a
despair that could no longer be concealed, "how can we know what the
next five years may bring to us? What will they be to my darling
child? Oh, if I only knew the way to save her--to preserve her, to
give her what belongs to her by all the laws of nature!"
"You must leave the show," he cried. "Give up everything. It is no
place for either of you. Let me help you. Mrs. Braddock, give it up
before it is too late. I know that harm will come to you here."
He pleaded long and earnestly with the silent, depressed woman.
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