ow where I put the
best tablecloth after the mending--and there's nothing but cod-roes, and
you know well that in cooking your mother beats you. Run away,
dear--you'll make Richard feel awkward--"

Ellen shrugged her shoulders. She knew that she ought to insist, but she
knew too that it would be lovely lighting the fire for Richard.

IV

He had not been able to see Ellen for three days. But he had written to
her three times.

_"I'm missing another day of you, Ellen. And I'm greedy for every minute
of you. There you are, away from me, and moving about and doing all the
sweet things you do, and saying all the things you do say, and your red
hair catching the light and your voice full of exquisite sweet sounds,
and I just have to get along seeing and hearing nothing of it. I am the
most insatiable of lovers. Life is thirst without you. I grudge every
moment we have been alive on the same world and not together. What a
waste! What a waste! I've never wanted an immortal soul before, but now
I do--that I may go on with you and go on with you, you darlingissima,
you endlessly lovely human thing. I'd go through all the ages with you;
we'd be like two children reading a wonderful book together, and you'd
light even the darkest passage of time for me with your wit and your
beauty. Tell me everything you are doing, tell me every little thing, my
lovely red-haired Ellen...."_

And she had written to him twice....

_"And in the evening I went out shopping. I wish you would tell me what
you like to eat. It would give shopping an interest. Then I went to the
library and got a trashy novel for mother to read, as I am still keeping
her in bed. For myself, I wanted to read something about love, as
hitherto I have not taken much interest in it and have read practically
nothing on the subject, so I got out the works of Shelley and Byron. But
their love poems are very superficial. I do wish you were here. Please
come soon. When mother is well I will be able to make cakes for you. Did
you see the sunset yesterday? I am surprised to find how much feeling
there is arising out of what is, after all, quite an ordinary event of
life. For after all, this happens to nearly everybody. But I do not
believe it can happen quite like this to other people. I am sure there
must be something quite out of the ordinary about our feelings for one
another. Do please come soon...."_

Well, he had come, his arms full of flowers and illustrated papers f