FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144  
145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   >>   >|  
e been engaged you've never--Well, you've never--never kissed me of your own accord. It's foolish to talk that way now, isn't it? But, by George! That would be--would be such a wonderful thing for me. I know," he hastened to add, "I know, Laura, you aren't demonstrative. I ought not to expect, maybe, that you-- Well, maybe it isn't much. But I was thinking a while ago that there wouldn't be a sweeter thing imaginable for me than if my own girl would come up to me some time--when I wasn't thinking--and of her own accord put her two arms around me and kiss me. And--well, I was thinking about it, and--" He hesitated again, then finished abruptly with, "And it occurred to me that you never had." Laura made no answer, but smiled rather indefinitely, as she continued to search the pages of the book, her head to one side. Jadwin continued: "We'll call it a bargain. Some day--before very long, mind you--you are going to kiss me--that way, understand, of your own accord, when I'm not thinking of it; and I'll get that conservatory in for you. I'll manage it somehow. I'll start those fellows at it to-morrow--twenty of 'em if it's necessary. How about it? Is it a bargain? Some day before long. What do you say?" Laura hesitated, singularly embarrassed, unable to find the right words. "Is it a bargain?" persisted Jadwin. "Oh, if you put it that way," she murmured, "I suppose so--yes." "You won't forget, because I shan't speak about it again. Promise you won't forget." "No, I won't forget. Why not call her the 'Thetis'?" "I was going to suggest the 'Dart,' or the 'Swallow,' or the 'Arrow.' Something like that--to give a notion of speed." "No. I like the 'Thetis' best." "That settles it then. She's your steam yacht, Laura." Later on, when Jadwin was preparing to depart, they stood for a moment in the hallway, while he drew on his gloves and took a fresh cigar from his case. "I'll call for you here at about ten," he said. "Will that do?" He spoke of the following morning. He had planned to take Page, Mrs. Wessels, and Laura on a day's excursion to Geneva Lake to see how work was progressing on the country house. Jadwin had set his mind upon passing the summer months after the marriage at the lake, and as the early date of the ceremony made it impossible to erect a new building, he had bought, and was now causing to be remodelled, an old but very well constructed house just outside of the town and once occu
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144  
145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Jadwin
 

thinking

 

forget

 

bargain

 

accord

 
hesitated
 
Thetis
 

continued

 
preparing
 

country


depart

 

constructed

 
gloves
 

moment

 
hallway
 

suggest

 
Promise
 
progressing
 

Swallow

 

settles


notion

 

Something

 

planned

 

morning

 

marriage

 

months

 

summer

 

passing

 

excursion

 

Wessels


building

 
bought
 

remodelled

 

Geneva

 

causing

 
impossible
 

ceremony

 
sweeter
 

imaginable

 
occurred

answer
 

abruptly

 
finished
 
wouldn
 

foolish

 

George

 
kissed
 

engaged

 
wonderful
 

expect