Her dark and waving hair she parted in the middle after a new fashion, tying its masses in a heavy knot at the back of her head, and thus adorned descended to the library where Morris was awaiting her.
He stood leaning over the fire with his back towards her, but hearing the sweep of a skirt turned round, and as his eyes fell upon her, started a little.

Never till he saw her thus had he known how beautiful Stella was at times.

Quite without design his eyes betrayed his thought, but with his lips he said merely as he offered her his arm,-- "What a pretty dress! Did it come out of Northwold ?" "The material did; I made it up, and I am glad that you think it nice." This was a propitious beginning, and the dinner that followed did not belie its promise.

The conversation turned upon one of the Norse sagas that Stella had translated, for which Morris had promised to try to find a publisher.

Then abandoning the silence and reserve which were habitual to him he began to talk, asking her about her work and her past.