"
She coloured a little. "It doesn't really count one way or the other with
me, Dick, any more than it would count with you if I hawked stale fish in
the street for cat's meat. You see I haven't forgotten that pretty
compliment of yours. But--"
"But?" he said, frowning whimsically. "We'll have the end of that
sentence, please. It's the very thing I want to get at. What is
the 'but'?"
She hesitated.
"Go on!" he commanded.
"Don't be a tyrant, Dick!" she said.
"My beautiful princess!" He touched her shoulder with his lips. "Then
don't you--please--be a goose! Tell me--quick!"
"And if I can't tell you, Dick? If--if it's just an instinct that says,
Wait? We've been too headlong as it is. I can't--I daren't--go on at this
pace." She was almost tearful. "I must have a little breathing-space
indeed. I came here for peace and quietness, as you know."
He broke into a sudden laugh. "So you did, dear. You were playing
hide-and-seek with yourself, weren't you? I'll bet you never expected to
find the other half of yourself in this remote corner, did you? Well,
never mind! Don't cry sweetheart--anyhow till you've got a decent excuse.
I don't want to rush you into anything against your will.
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