He bowed three times like a disjointed foot rule and then retired to
charge up the wear and tear to his backbone under the head of "special
attendance."
"H-m-m!" sighed Sanderson, as the door closed on the bowing form of the
proprietor, "that fellow's presence reminds me that we are not
absolutely alone in the world, and you had almost convinced me that we
were, darling, and that by special Providence, this grim old earth had
been turned into a second Garden of Eden for our benefit. Aren't you
going to kiss me and make me forget in earnest, this time?"
"I'm sure, Lennie, I infinitely prefer the 'White Rose Inn' with you,
to the Garden of Paradise with Adam." She not only granted the
request, but added an extra one for interest.
"You'll make me horribly vain, Anna, if you persist in preferring me to
Adam; but then I dare say, Eve would have preferred him and Paradise to
me and the 'White Rose.'"
"But, then, Eve's taste lacked discrimination. She had to take Adam or
become the first girl bachelor. With me there might have been
alternatives."
"There might have been others, to speak vulgarly?"
"Exactly."
"By Jove, Anna, I don't see how you ever did come to care for me!" The
laughter died out of his eyes, his face grew prefer naturally grave, he
strode over to the window and looked out on the desolate landscape.
For the first time he realized the gravity of his offense. His crime
against this girl, who had been guilty of nothing but loving him too
deeply stood out, stripped of its trappings of sentiment, in all its
foul selfishness. He would right the wrong, confess to her; but no, he
dare not, she was not the kind of woman to condone such an offense.
"Needles and pins, needles and pins, when a man's married his trouble
begins," quoted Anna gayly, slipping up behind him and, putting her
arms about his neck; "one would think the old nursery ballad was true,
to look at you, Lennox Sanderson. I never saw such a married-man
expression before in my life. You wanted to know why I fell in love
with you. I could not help it, because you are YOU."
She nestled her head in his shoulder and he forgot his scruples in the
sorcery of her presence.
"Darling," he said; taking her in his arms, with perhaps the most
genuine affection he ever felt for her, "I wish we could spend our
lives here in this quiet little place, and that there were no
troublesome relations or outside world demanding us."