eless.
He went on to say that the world was bleak and unlovely till I came to
Philadelphia and wouldn't I tell him I care for him.

Of course I value his friendship and told him so. But he laughed and
said I was a wise little girl but I couldn't evade his question like
that. He said frankly he doesn't want my friendship, he wants my love,
he must have it!

I felt like a helpless bird. I couldn't answer him. He looked at me, a
long, searching look. Then he pressed his thin lips together, and a
moment later, threw back his head and laughed his low laugh.

"Little bluebird," he said softly, "I have frightened you and I wouldn't
do that for worlds! We'll talk it over some other time, after you have
had time to think about it. Shall I play for you?"

I nodded and he began to play. But the music didn't soothe me as it
usually does. There were too many confused thoughts in my brain. Did
Royal really love me? I looked at his white hands with the long
tapering nails and the shapely fingers and couldn't help thinking of the
strong, tanned hands of David Eby. I glanced at the handsome face of the
musician with its magnetic charm--swiftly the countenance of my old
playmate rose before me and then slowly faded: David, boyish and
comradely; David, manly and strong, without ever a sneer or an unholy
light upon his face. Could I ever forget him? Could I ever look into the
face of any other man and call it the dearest in the whole world to me?
Ach--I shook my head and gathered my recreant wits together! I'd forget
what he said and attribute it to the weird influence of the firelight.

I was glad Virginia came before Royal finished playing. She looked at us
keenly. I suppose my face was flushed. But Royal seldom loses his
outward calm. He answered her remarks in his casual way and listened
with seeming interest to her plans for a pre-Lenten masquerade dance she
wants to give. She has asked me to go dressed in a plain dress and white
cap like Aunt Maria wears. I hesitated about it but she has done so much
for me that I hate to refuse. So I've promised to go to the dance
dressed in a plain dress and cap.

A little later when Royal left us alone Virginia began to speak about
him. She said she's so glad we have grown to be friends, in spite of the
fact that he is so much older than I am. He's thirty-seven, she told me.
I'm surprised at that. I never thought he's so much older. She mentioned
something, too, about his being rather a gay