"Are you waiting for your romance, then? Have you come to this more
primitive civilization to find it?"

She raised her head and looked him full in the eyes. "No, I did not
believe in the possibility then."

"May I have a high-ball?"

"Certainly."

He took his drink on the other side of the room. It was several
minutes before he returned to the hearth. Then he asked without
looking at her: "How do you expect to find romance if you shut yourself
up?"

"I wanted nothing less. As little as I wanted it to be known that I
was here at all."

"That damnable mystery! Who _are_ you?"

"Nothing that you have imagined. It is far stranger--I fancy it would
cure you."

"Cure me?"

"Yes. Do you deny that you love me?"

"No, by God! I don't! But you take a devilish advantage. You must
know that I had meant to keep my head. Of course, you are playing with
me--with your cursed technique! . . . Unless . . ." He reached her in
a stride and stood over her. "Is it possible--do you--_you_----"

She pushed back her chair, and stood behind it. Her cheeks were very
pink, her eyes startled, but very soft. "I do not admit that yet--I
have been too astounded--I went away to think by myself--where I was
sure not to see you--but--my mind seemed to revolve in circles. I
don't know! I don't know!"

"You do know! You are not the woman to mistake a passing interest for
the real thing."

"Oh, does a woman ever--I never wanted to be as young as _that_ again!
I should have believed it impossible if I had given the matter a
thought--It is so long! I had forgotten what love was like. There was
nothing I had buried as deep. And there are reasons--reasons!"

"I only follow you vaguely. But I think I understand--worse luck!
I've hated you more than once. You must have known that. I believe
you are deliberately leading me on to make a fool of myself."

"I am not! Oh, I am not!"

"_Do_ you love me?"

"I--I want to be sure. I have dreamed . . . I--I have leisure, you
see. This old house shuts out the world--Europe--the past. The war
might have cut my life in two. If it had not been for that--that long
selfless interval . . . I'd like you to go now."

"Will you marry me?"

"It may be. I can't tell. Not yet. Are you content to wait?"

"I am not! But I've no intention of taking you by force, although I
don't feel particularly civilized at the present moment. But I'll win
you and have you if you love m