"
"You have read 'Much Ado about Nothing'," I said.
"Oh, it is as good as that, is it?" she asked.
"Well, it has just as good a final situation," I answered. She seemed
puzzled, for she saw I spoke with some undercurrent of meaning. "Mrs.
Falchion," I said to her suddenly and earnestly, "I wish you to think
between now and to-morrow of what I am just going to say to you."
"It sounds like the task set an undergraduate, but go on," she said.
"I wish you to think," said I, "of the fact that I helped to save your
life."
She flushed; an indignant look shot into her face, and her voice
vibrating, she said:
"What man would have done less?" Then, almost immediately after, as
though repenting of what she had said, she continued in a lower tone and
with a kind of impulsiveness uncommon to her: "But you had courage, and I
appreciate that; still, do not ask too much. Good-night."
We parted at that, and did not meet again until the next afternoon, when
I joined her and her party at the summer hotel. Together we journeyed
down to Sunburst.
It was the height of the salmon-fishing season.
Pages:
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344