I do still!"--her tone lifted in earnest protest--"I love
to think of brave, dear Arthur and his knights--so few, and yet so full
of love, of gallantry and daring!"

So _his_ nights were like that! By Jove, I was devilish glad then that
they had been _so few_--that was some comfort, dash it! I wondered if
the beggar was dead. But what difference did it make now, after all? She
was mine now and she knew I knew it; that was why this sweet, ingenuous
child was laying bare to me her past--the darling!

Really, I ought not to let her go on.

"Never mind them now," I urged soothingly. And heedless of the windows,
I hitched a wee bit closer. "That's all past and gone and you and I will
yet see as good nights as they _ever_ were." I spoke with assurance.
"Don't _you_ think so?" I added softly.

She sighed. "I don't know--I hope so!"--she lingered dubiously over it,
looking away again, the while her hand put back the fleecy, golden
what-you-call-it that was snuggling to her eyes. I looked at the
goddess-like forearm, bared to above the elbow, where it slipped from
sight under the roll of sleeve, and thought of that night in my
apartment when she had made me feel of her biceps, don't you know.

How deliciously shy she was! Remembered hearing Pugsley say they are
often that way with the development of love. Told me he thought he'd get
married once--looked over the girls of his set and picked out one; then
he went to see her. She was devilish cordial at first and until Pugsley
began to tell her about it, then she began to grow agitated--finally
went out of the room and had hysterics. _Next_ time he saw her she
hardly was able to speak to him! Said that ended it and he passed her
up--too dashed much bother trying to follow 'em, he decided; they were
too high-strung, too emotional, too uncertain of themselves, _he_
thought.

I gave her five seconds, and then--

"You don't _know_?" I repeated with gentle reproach. "Oh, I say, you
know! You know you _know_ you know!" By Jove, that sounded rather rum,
but I knew she knew I knew she _knew_--see?

She looked at me sidewise, her slender forefinger pressing the
half-parted lips slowly shaping in a curve. Then her little teeth
flashed, jewel-like--regular jolly pearl setting in the frankest,
sweetest smile!--and then her glorious arm and wrist arched suddenly
toward me.

"Yes!" she said contritely, and with the most delightful, kindest
inflection and laugh--such a laugh!--a laugh