Part 55 (1/2)

”Oh, I dare say Lorry would come for the matter of that. We might teach her to play too.”

”Well, I hardly meant she should actually be there,” he went on in a meaning voice. ”She'd be rather in the way, wouldn't she? I don't know that I could do with any one else but you.”

He stepped closer to her, and slipped his arm round her shoulders. ”A third person will always be in the way when I am with you, Hal.”

She changed colour, and breathed fitfully, moving as if to disengage herself from his arm.

”No, don't go. This is very harmless, and I've been exceedingly good for a long time, now, haven't I?”

”All the greater pity to spoil your record,” putting up her hand to remove his.

But he only clasped her fingers tightly, and drew her closer, till he could feel her heart palpitating a little wildly; and that gave him courage.

”It has been far harder than you have the remotest idea of. I deserve one kiss, if only by way of encouragement.”

His face was close to hers now, and with a little murmuring sound of gladness he kissed her cheek.

”Little woman,” he murmured, ”I've grown desperately fond of you. I hardly know how to do without you. Be a sensible little girl, won't you?”

She disengaged herself resolutely then, but she was not angry, and her eyes were s.h.i.+ning.

”You are transgressing flagrantly - as I should express it in a newspaper report. Collect your forces, and retire gracefully, O transgressor.”

”I suppose I really must go now. It's been such a splendid day, hasn't it?”

He seemed to speak with a shadow of regret; and there was a shadow of regret in his eyes also as he riveted them on her face. Then he turned suddenly and picked up his cap.

”Well - the best of friends must part - and the best of days come to an end. Good-bye, little girl.”

With his cap in his hand, he suddenly put both his arms round her and kissed her with the old pa.s.sionate eagerness - then he loosed her and turned to the door.

”I'm in love with you, Hal - head over ears in love; but it's a devilish hard world, and Heaven only knows what's to come of it.”

With which enigmatical sentence he let himself out and departed.

When he had gone Hal stood quite still where he had left her, and looked into vacancy. About her lips there was the ghost of a smile.

In her ears was only the recollection of the words, ”I'm head over ears in love with you.”

So, it was coming at last - the great, glad day of love and fulfilment.

If he had set out to trifle with her at first, at least he was serious enough now. She, too, had only trifled in the beginning, seizing a little fun and adventure in her workaday world. There had been no reason to suppose it need hurt any one. Now, she, too, was serious.

Perhaps the things detrimental to him that she had heard previously had some truth in them then, but he was changed now. Love had changed him.

He was like another man. She had seen and felt it in a thousand ways that could not be translated into speech or writing. It was just that he was different, and in every particular it was to his advantage.

She was different too. She did not resent the kiss, because she knew that he honestly cared for her. Ans she knew, too, that she honestly cared for him. The end of the enigmatical sentence rankled a little, but she did not led herself dwell upon it.