could not resist exchanging a glance
of wonder with Verena, who, if she had had the opportunity, could
probably have explained to him the phenomenon. Olive had recovered
herself, reminded herself that she was safe, that her companion in New
York had repudiated, denounced her pursuer; and, as a proof to her own
sense of her security, as well as a touching mark to Verena that now,
after what had passed, she had no fear, she felt that a certain light
mockery would be effective.

"Ah, Miss Olive, don't pretend to think I love your sex so little, when
you know that what you really object to in me is that I love it too
much!" Ransom was not brazen, he was not impudent, he was really a very
modest man; but he was aware that whatever he said or did he was
condemned to seem impudent now, and he argued within himself that if he
was to have the dishonour of being thought brazen he might as well have
the comfort. He didn't care a straw, in truth, how he was judged or how
he might offend; he had a purpose which swallowed up such inanities as
that, and he was so full of it that it kept him firm, balanced him, gave
him an assurance that might easily have been confounded with a cold
detachment. "This place will do me good," he pursued; "I haven't had a
holiday for more than two years, I couldn't have gone another day; I was
finished. I would have written to you beforehand that I was coming, but
I only started at a few hours' notice. It occurred to me that this would
be just what I wanted; I remembered what Miss Tarrant had said in her
note, that it was a place where people could lie on the ground and wear
their old clothes. I delight to lie on the ground, and all my clothes
are old. I hope to be able to stay three or four weeks."

Olive listened till he had done speaking; she stood a single moment
longer, and then, without a word, a glance, she rushed into the house.
Ransom saw that Miss Birdseye was immersed in her letters; so he went
straight to Verena and stood before her, looking far into her eyes. He
was not smiling now, as he had been in speaking to Olive. "Will you come
somewhere apart, where I can speak to you alone?"

"Why have you done this? It was not right in you to come!" Verena looked
still as if she were blushing, but Ransom perceived he must allow for
her having been delicately scorched by the sun.

"I have come because it is necessary--because I have something very
important to say to you. A great number of things.