The varying color dropped from her cheeks, her eyes seemed to grow larger, the same look of rapt absorption and possession that had so transfigured her young face at the ball was fixed upon it now.

Her lips parted slightly, she seemed to murmur rather than speak:-- "What are these people to us?
What are Seth's jealousies, Uncle Ben's and Masters's foolishness, Paw and Maw's quarr'ls and tantrums to you and me, dear?
What is it what THEY think, what they reckon, what they plan out, and what they set themselves against--to us?
We love each other, we belong to each other, without their help or their hindrance.
From the time we first saw each other it was so, and from that time Paw and Maw, and Seth and Masters, and even YOU and ME, dear, had nothing else to do.

That was love as I know it; not Seth's sneaking rages, and Uncle Ben's sneaking fooleries, and Masters's sneaking conceit, but only love.

And knowing that, I let Seth rage, and Uncle Ben dawdle, and Masters trifle--and for what?
To keep them from me and my boy.

They were satisfied, and we were happy." Vague and unreasoning as he knew her speech to be, the rapt and perfect conviction with which it was uttered staggered him.
"But how is this to end, Cressy ?" he said passionately.
The abstracted look passed, and the slight color and delicate mobility of her face returned.