"
"A long day," Corliss remarked, as he walked back with Frona to her
cabin.
"And a longer to-morrow," she answered, wearily. "And I'm so sleepy."
"You're a brave little woman, and I'm proud of you." It was ten
o'clock, and he looked out through the dim twilight to the ghostly ice
drifting steadily by. "And in this trouble," he went on, "depend upon
me in any way."
"In any way?" she queried, with a catch in her voice.
"If I were a hero of the melodrama I'd say; 'To the death!' but as I'm
not; I'll just repeat, in any way."
"You are good to me, Vance. I can never repay--"
"Tut! tut! I do not put myself on sale. Love is service, I believe."
She looked at him for a long time, but while her face betrayed soft
wonder, at heart she was troubled, she knew not why, and the events of
the day, and of all the days since she had known him, came fluttering
through her mind.
"Do you believe in a white friendship?" she asked at last. "For I do
hope that such a bond may hold us always. A bright, white friendship,
a comradeship, as it were?" And as she asked, she was aware that the
phrase did not quite express what she felt and would desire. And when
he shook his head, she experienced a glad little inexplicable thrill.
"A comradeship?" he questioned. "When you know I love you?"
"Yes," she affirmed in a low voice.
Pages:
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319