The lady and the pirate

The Lady and the Pirate is a romance adventure novel from the well-known American author Emerson Hough (1857-1923). From the story:There came a faint scratching at the door, a little whimpering whine. "It is Partial, my dog, come after you," said I bitterly. "He knows you are here. He never has done that way for me. He loves you." "He knows you are here, and he loves you," said she. "That is why things come and scratch at doors where ruffians live." I flung open the door. "Partial," said I, "come in; and choose between us." But Partial would not choose. "He wants us both, Helena!" said I at last. "He has wiped out logic, premises, conclusions, cause and effect, horse, cart and all! He wants us both! He wants a quiet home and independence, Helena, and usefulness, and contentment. Ah, my God!" She reached down and put a hand on his head, but he only looked from one to the other of us, unhappy. "Don't you love me, Helena?" I asked quietly, after a time. "For the sake of my dog, can you not love me?" She continued stroking the head of the agonized Partial....And until, somewhat inarticulately, I had choked or spoken, and had caught her dark hair against my cheek and kissed her hair and stammered in her ear, and turned her face and kissed her eyes and her cheek and her lips many, many times, Partial held his peace and issued no decision....At least, I did not hear him....She was sobbing now, her head on my shoulder, as we sat on the locker seat, and Partial's head was on the cushion beside us, and he was silent and overjoyed, and tranquilly happy - seeing perhaps, that a quiet home would in the event be his, and that he was going to live happy ever after. And after I drew Helena's head closer to my face, I kissed her hair. "Do you love me, Helena?" I asked. "Only the truth now, in God's name!"