The yellow book: an illustrated quarterly (5.1895)

48 The Pleasure-Pilgrim

•countered hers. He glanced rapidly past her, then back to his
book. But she, undeterred, with a charming sinuous movement
and a frou-frou of trailing silks, crossed over towards him. She
■slipped into an empty chair next his.

“ I’m going to do you the honour of sitting beside you, Mr.
Campbell,” she said sweetly.

a It’s an honour I’ve done nothing whatever to merit,” he
answered, without looking at her, and turned a page.

a The right retort,” she approved ; cc but you might have said
it a little more cordially.”

“ I don’t feel cordial.”

“ But why not ? What has happened ? Yesterday you were
so nice.”

tc Ah, a good deal of water has run under the bridge since
yesterday.”

“ But still the river remains as full,” she told him, smiling,
“ and still the sky is as blue. The thermometer has even risen
■six degrees. Out-of-doors, to-day, I could feel the spring-time
in the air. You, too, love the spring, don’t you ? I know that
from your books. And I wanted to teil you, I think your books
perfectly lovely. I know them, most all. I’ve read them away
home. They’re very much thought of in America. Only last
night I was saying to Nannie how glad I am to have met you,
for I think we’re going to be great friends ; aren’t we, Mr.
Campbell ? At least, I hope so, for you can do me so much
good, if you will. Your books always make me feel real good 5
hut you yourself can help me much more.”

She looked up at him with one of her warm, narrow red-
brown glances, which yesterday would have thrilled his blood, and
to-day merely stirred it to anger.

“You over-estimate my abilities,” he said coldly ; “and on the

whole,