Except as regards her eyes and hair, Jess was not even a good-looking person.

But, at that moment, John thought that her face was touched with a diviner beauty than he had yet seen on the face of woman.

It thrilled him and appealed to him, not as Bessie's beauty had appealed, but to that other side of his nature, of which Jess alone could turn the key.

It was more like the face of a spirit than that of a human being, and it almost frightened him to see it.
"Jess," he said at last, "what are you thinking of ?" She started, and her face resumed its normal expression.

It was as though a mask had been suddenly set upon it.
"Why do you ask ?" she said.
"Because I want to know.