"Writing at this time of night!" he exclaimed; "we supposed you asleep
long ago."
"Sh! don't speak so loud," she protested. "You'll have Aunt Marcia up
here! I have nearly finished my writing, so you needn't scold."
Glancing at the large journal lying open on her desk, Darrell asked,
with a quizzical smile,-"Couldn't that have been postponed for a few hours?"
"Not to-night," she replied, with emphasis; "ordinarily, you know, it
could and would have been postponed, perhaps indefinitely, but not
to-night!"
She glanced shyly into his eyes, and her own fell, as she added, in a
lower tone,-"To-night has memories so golden I want to preserve them before they
have been dimmed by even one hour's sleep!"
Darrell's face grew marvellously tender; he drew her head down upon his
breast while he caressed the rippling hair with its waves of light and
shade.
"This night will always have golden memories for me, Kathie," he said,
"and neither days nor years can ever dim their lustre; of that I am
sure."
Kate raised her head, drawing herself slightly away from his embrace so
that she could look him in the face.
"'Kathie!'" she repeated, softly; "that is the second time you have
called me by that name to-night. I never heard it before; where did you
get it?"
"Oh, it came to me," he said, smiling; "and somehow it seemed just the
name for you; but I'll not call you so unless you like it."
"I do like it immensely," she replied; "I am tired of 'Kate' and
'Kittie' and Aunt Marcia's terrible 'Katherine;' I am glad you are
original enough to call me by something different, but it sounds so odd;
I wondered if there might have been a 'Kathie' in the past. But," she
added, quickly, "I must not stay here. I just came out to say good-night
to you."
"We had better say good-morning," Darrell laughed, as the clock in the
hall below chimed one of the "wee, sma' hours;" "promise me that you
will go to rest at once, won't you?"
"Very soon," she answered, smiling; then, a sudden impulsiveness
conquering her reserve, she exclaimed, "Do you know, this has been the
happiest night of my whole life. I hardly dare go to sleep for fear I
will wake up and find it all a dream."
For answer Darrell folded her close to his breast, kissing her hair and
brow with passionate tenderness; then suddenly, neither knew just how,
their lips met in long, lingering, rapturous kisses.
"Will that make it seem more real, sweetheart?" he asked, in a low voice
vibrating with emotion.
"Yes, oh yes!" she panted, half frightened by his fervor; "but let me
go; please do!"
He released her, only retaining her hands for an instant, which he bent
and kissed; then bidding her good-night, he hastened down the hall to
his room.