"As though a girl could plead only a cause which concerned herself....

Tell me what you are thinking ?" She had risen, and he stood up before her, fascinated.
"Tell me!" she insisted; "I shall not let you go until you do!" "I was thinking about you." "Please don't!...

Are you doing it yet ?" closely confronting him, hands behind her.
"Yes, I am," he said, unable to keep his eyes from her, all her beauty and youth and freshness troubling him, closing in upon him like subtle fragrance in the golden forest dusk.
"Are you still thinking about me ?" "Yes." The rare sweet laughter edged her lips, for an instant; then something in his eyes checked her.

Colour and laughter died out, leaving a pale confused smile; and the straight gaze wavered, grew less direct, yet lost not a shade of his expression which also had changed.
Neither spoke; and after a moment they turned away, walking not very near together toward the house.
The sunshine and the open somehow brought relief and the delicate constraint between them relaxed as they sauntered slowly into the house where Shiela presently went away to dress for the Ascott function, and Hamil sat down on the veranda for a while, then retired to undertake the embellishment of his own person..