s returning it to its rightful place. She knew that he had seen her
cheeks color.

Gretchen looked around, and seeing there were no more stray books,
prepared to pick up the stack again. She stood up to catch her breath
and smooth her wool skirt, arching back her shoulders. Looking down at
the man, she finally remembered to blow the wisp of hair from her face.
He was looking up at her and positively beaming--clean-shaven and light
complected, she noted--but the smile faded almost instantly to a faint
curling about the corners of his lips.

"Please accept my apologies," he stated, still kneeling upon the floor.
"I will have to be more careful." His hair was dishevelled--great
curly locks of jet black, and he laughed nervously as he brushed it
from his eyes. He peered at her with eyes so black, yet so kindly,
that Gretchen found herself blushing again and put a hand to her chest.
The man stopped for a moment to adjust his shirt and coat, then stood
slowly, and with the hint of a bow, swept past her and away.
Unaccountably, she felt suddenly light-headed and sat down upon the
floor by her books. His eyes! she exclaimed to herself with an outrush
of breath. She felt that in an instant they had devoured her; had
known all about her. She could not recall ever having seen such lively
and intelligent eyes--so deep and black they seemed like windows
opening onto a starlit sky. And his hand! when he placed the last book
upon the stack--the nails so trim. His hands were almost feminine, and
finely wrought. Gretchen gradually composed herself, then picked up
her books and continued about her work.

* * * * *

Several times thereafter in the course of a fortnight Gretchen saw the
same young man about the library, and they developed an acquaintance
that began and ended with nodding pleasantly and wishing each other
"good day". She thought him quite the most interesting patron she had
seen in the library for... she knew not how long--perhaps never in the
two years she had been there. He was flamboyant, certainly, Gretchen
decided, but he had not that rakishness or arrogance that so often
accompanies one who is as smart a dresser as he seemed. Her thoughts
chanced to light upon him sometimes, and within the fortnight, she
decided he must be attached to the university. Perhaps a
professor--well certainly not a full professor, he was far too young
and had not grown into that masculine stuffine