ou like me?"

"I never cared so much for--for any woman----."

She dimpled with delight and lay back regarding him under level,
unembarrassed brows.

"That is very pleasant," she said. "I've often wished that a man--of
your kind--would say that to me. I do wish we could be together a great
deal, because you like me so much already and I truly do find you
agreeable.... Say it to me again--about how much you like me."

"I--I--there is no woman--none I ever saw so--so interesting.... I mean
more than that."

"Say it then."

"Say what I mean?"

"Yes."

"I am afraid----"

"Afraid? Of what?"

"Of offending you----"

"Is it an offense to me to tell me how much you like me? _How_ can it
offend me?"

"But--it is incredible! You won't believe----"

"Believe what?"

"That in so short a time I--I could care for you so much----"

"But I shall believe you. I know how I feel toward you. And every time
you speak to me I feel more so."

"Feel more so?" he stammered.

"Yes, I experience more delight in what you say. Do you think I am
insensible to the way you look at me?"

"You--you mean--" He simply could not find words.

She leaned back, watching him with sweet composure; then laughed a
little and said: "Do you suppose that you and I are going to fall in
love with one another?"

In the purpling dusk the perfume of wistaria grew sweeter and sweeter.

"I've done it already--" His voice shook and failed; a thrush, invisible
in shadowy depths, made soft, low sounds.

"You _love_ me--already?" she exclaimed under her breath.

"Love you! I--I--there are no words--" The thrush stirred the sprayed
foliage and called once, then again, restless for the moon.

Her eyes wandered over him thoughtfully: "So _that_ is love.... I didn't
know.... I supposed it could be nothing pleasanter than friendship,
although they say it is.... But how could it be? There is nothing
pleasanter than friendship.... I am perfectly delighted that you love
me. Shall we marry some day, do you think?"

He strove to speak, but her frankness stunned him.

"I meant to tell you that I am engaged," she observed. "Does that
matter?"

"Engaged!" He found his tongue quickly enough then; and she, surprised,
interested, and in nowise dissenting, listened to his eloquent views
upon the matter of Mr. Frawley, whom she, during the lucid intervals of
his silence, curtly described.

"Do you know," she said with great relief, "that I always felt that