course, one of us must have gone when we heard you singing out for
help, and I was only too happy, frightfully happy, I am sure--and it was
nothing at all to do. If you were much here, and saw us swimming and
boating, you'd see fellows do that sort of thing every day.'

It was a delicate instinct that made him underrate the feat he had
performed, for he would have been so glad to have her feel under the
slightest obligation to him; but as far as her perceptions were
concerned, the beauty of his sentiment was lost, for when he said that
the thing that he had done was easy, she believed him.

She still interrogated. 'Why did you not speak and tell me who you
were?'

There had been an ostensible and a real reason for this conduct on the
Baby's part. The first was the order which his friends in the Syndicate
boat had called after him as he jumped into the water, the second he
spoke out now for the first time to Helen.

'I didn't speak, Miss Johns, because I--I _couldn't_. Oh! you have no
idea--really, you know, if you'd only believe me--I love you so much,
Miss Johns, I couldn't say anything or I'd have said more than I ought,
the sort of thing I'm saying now, you know.'

'Tut!' said Helen sharply, 'what rubbish!'

'Oh! but Miss Johns--yes, I knew you would think it was all rot and that
sort of thing; that was the reason I didn't say it in the boat, and that
is the reason I've never dared to ask to be introduced to you, Miss
Johns. It wasn't that I cared for the Syndicate. You see, the worst of
it is, I'm so confoundedly poor; they give me no sort of a screw at all
at the bank, I do assure you. But, Miss Johns, my uncle is one of the
directors; he's sure to give me a leg up before very long, and if you
only knew--oh! really if you only knew----,' words failed him quite when
he tried to describe the strength of his devotion. He only sat before
her, supporting himself with both hands on the ground and looking up
with a face that had no rounded outline now, but was white, passionate
and pathetic; he could only murmur, 'really, really--if you only
knew----'

The darkness barred her vision and the extravagant words in the boyish
voice sounded ridiculous to her.

'I will believe you,' she said, 'if you want me to, but it doesn't make
any difference; I am sorry you are hurt, and sorry you have taken this
fancy for me. I think you will find some other girl very soon whom you
will like better; I hope you will. There isn't'