ardor which took her by storm. "You've got into my blood like wine, Camilla. To be near you means to reach forward and take you—the sound of your voice, the response of your eyes, the appeal of your mind to mine in this wilderness of spirit—I can't deny them—I don't want to deny them." "I know you've never been willing to give me credit for anything I've said when I've tried to show you how much you were to me—and yet, I think you cared—you've showed it sometimes. But I've tried to go about my work and forget you, because I thought it was best for us both. But I can't, Camilla, I tell you I can't get you out of my head. I think of something else, and then, in a moment, there you are again—elusive, mocking, scornful, tender, all in a breath. And then, when I find you're there to stay, I don't try any more. I don't want to think of anything else." He leaned across the desk and seized one of her hands with an ardor which took her by storm. "You've got into my blood like wine, Camilla. To be near you means to reach forward and take you—the sound of your voice, the response of your eyes, the appeal of your mind to mine in this wilderness of spirit—I can't deny them—I don't want to deny them." Her head sank, but she withdrew her hands. "And my sanity?" she asked clearly. "That does not appeal to you." Her head sank, but she withdrew her hands. "And my sanity?" she asked clearly. "That does not appeal to you." "Perhaps it does—most of all. It maddens me, too—that I can't make you care for me enough to forget yourself." "Perhaps it does—most of all. It maddens me, too—that I can't make you care for me enough to forget yourself." She looked up at him, smiling gently now. "It is easy to say forget myself, that you may have one more frail woman to remember. Am I so provincial, Cortland Bent? Am I really so rustic? Two days ago you were telling me I had all the savoir faire of the great lady." She looked up at him, smiling gently now. "It is easy to say forget myself, that may have one more frail woman to remember. Am I so provincial, Cortland Bent? Am I really so rustic? Two days ago you were telling me I had all the of the great lady." He did not reply to that, but, while she watched him, he got up and walked slowly over to the map of the United States which hung
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