"I don't say you have. But you don't seem to like the notion of it, for all that."
There was another pause. Midwinter was the first to break the silence this time.
"Are you sure of yourself, Allan?" he asked, with his face bent once more over the book. "Are you really attached to this lady? Have you thought seriously already of asking her to be your wife?"
"I am thinking seriously of it at this moment," said Allan. "I can't be happy--I can't live without her. Upon my soul, I worship the very ground she treads on!"
"How long--" His voice faltered, and he stopped. "How long," he reiterated, "have you worshipped the very ground she treads on?"
"Longer than you think for. I know I can trust you with all my secrets--"
"Don't trust me!"
"Nonsense! I will trust you. There is a little difficulty in the way which I haven't mentioned yet. It's a matter of some delicacy, and I want to consult you about it. Between ourselves, I have had private opportunities with Miss Gwilt--"
Midwinter suddenly started to his feet, and opened the door.
"We'll talk of this to-morrow," he said. "Good-night."
Allan looked round in astonishment. The door was closed again, and he was alone in the room.
"He has never shaken hands with me!" exclaimed Allan, looking bewildered at the empty chair.
As the words passed his lips the door opened, and Midwinter appeared again.
"We haven't shaken hands," he said, abruptly. "God bless you, Allan! We'll talk of it to-morrow. Good-night."
Allan stood alone at the window, looking out at the pouring rain. He felt ill at ease, without knowing why. "Midwinter's ways get stranger and stranger," he thought. "What can he mean by putting me off till to-morrow, when I wanted to speak to him to-night?" He took up his bedroom candle a little impatiently, put it down again, and, walking back to the open window, stood looking out in the direction of the cottage. "I wonder if she's thinking of me?" he said to himself softly.
She was thinking of him. She had just opened her desk to write to Mrs. Oldershaw; and her pen had that moment traced the opening line: "Make your mind easy. I have got him!"