William MacLeod Raine

“ Then, after a little silence, he added bitterly: “For God’s sake, Maisie, don’t think I want to do what I must do. Don’t think that it’s anything but a torment to me. I’d give a good deal to shirk it, but the thing seems to have fallen on me. You may be sure I hate myself as much as Stoneman will hate me.”
She was startled. “You’re not going to do anything—anything——”
“I’m going to try to save this State from the deep pit into which it is being dragged. I’m going to be a man accursed, but I can’t help that.” ”

“ She tilted a look up at him with the shy gaiety she held at command. “I think we'll wait until the fingers are burnt, if it is the same to you.”
“But it isn’t the same to me. I take the goods the gods provide.
“He who will not when he may,
When he will he shall have nay.” ”

“ The world was going so exquisitely well with him he dared not tempt fortune further, lest he invite a fall. Wherefore he welcomed the return of Miss Gray at this opportune moment as a refuge from the rebuff Miss Marriott’s unexpected moment of weakness might reasonably lead her to inflict as a corrective to wrong impressions in his mind. ”