l all need me!"

"Of course they'll need you. Other people need you, Pixie, besides your
relations. Why do you always go back to them? I was speaking of
myself. _I_ need you! I've felt all at sea without you these last
days. I never met a girl like you before. Most girls are all one way
or another--so serious that they're dull, or so empty-headed that it's a
waste of time to talk to them. You--you are such a festive little
thing, Pixie; a fellow could never be dull in your company, and yet
you're so good! You have such sweet thoughts; you are so unselfish, so
kind."

"_Go_ on!" cried Pixie urgently. "_Go_ on!" Her cheeks had flushed,
her eyes sparkled with animation. "It's the most reviving thing in the
world to hear oneself praised, I could listen to it for hours. In what
particular way, now, would you say that I was `_sweet_?'"

She peered at him, complacent, curious, blightingly unconscious of his
emotions, and the young man felt a stirring of hot impatience.
Insinuation and innuendo were of no use where Pixie O'Shaughnessy was
concerned; an ordinary girl might scent a proposal afar off and amuse
herself by an affectation of innocence, but nothing short of a plain
declaration of love would convince Pixie of his sincerity.

"Pixie," he said suddenly, "look at me!" He took her hands in his, and
drew her round so as to face him as they sat. "Look at me, Pixie," he
repeated. "Look in my eyes. Tell me, what do you see?"

Pixie looked, her own eyes wide and amazed. Her fingers stirred within
his hands with a single nervous twitch, and then lay still, while into
her eyes crept an expression of wonder and awe.

"I don't know.--I don't know. ... What do I see?"

"Love, Pixie! My love. My love for you. ... I've fallen in love with
you, darling; didn't you know? I knew it that last evening when we were
together upstairs. I've known it better and better each day since; and
to-day I couldn't stay away, I couldn't wait any longer. ... Pixie, do
you love me too?"

"Of course I love you. How could I help it?" cried Pixie warmly. Her
fingers tightened round his with affectionate pressure, her eyes beamed
encouragingly upon him.

Never could there have been a warmer, a more spontaneous response, and
yet, strange to relate, its very ardour had a chilling effect, for
Stanor, though young, was experienced enough to realise that it is not
in this fashion that a girl receives a declaration of love from