She waited.
"I can't say anything if you look like that!" he said whimsically.
She moved from him to the window. "There isn't any need to--say
anything!"
The reddish hair was lighted up against the window as he had seen it
before, and he watched it.
"That's the way _I_ feel!" he said softly.
"How do you feel?" She wheeled about and looked at him.
"As if there wasn't any need to say things. As if----"
She had turned back to the window. He went toward her.
"You've known all along!" he said.
He addressed the little locks gathered up under her cap.
He was quite near to her now.
"You knew--the first day I came--when I saw you--in father's room," he
declared to the little locks of hair. "Didn't you?"
There was no reply.
"And every time I've seen you since!" he said exultingly. "And now that
I've got you alone for a minute--you pretend----"
"I'm not pretending!" The shoulders shrugged a little.
"And turn your back on me," he added quietly.
"It's very thoughtless!" she said, speaking to the window. "You make it
awkward for me.... I hoped you would have sense enough--not to say
anything!"
"I haven't any sense," said the young man. "And you have so much....
That's why I like you. I fell in love with your sense--the first day!"
She had turned and faced him now. "Of course you don't care!" she said
indignantly. "It is just a joke to you--to come, interfering with my
work----"
"I didn't mean to stop you!" He glanced helplessly at the
linen-cupboard.
"I mean my nursing!" she said with dignity. "I can't take care of your
father if you're looking at me--and saying foolish things--all the
time!"
He reached out a hand. "I'm not saying foolish things," he said quietly.
"And you know it----"
A little bell buzzed somewhere and she lifted her head. "He's ringing--"
she said quickly. "It's his bell! I'll have to go!"
Then she waited.
And he took her hands and looked down at them, and bent and kissed them
gently, and watched the little color come dancing into her face.
"Pretending you didn't care!" he said.
He crushed the two hands hard and she cried out and drew them away--and
lifted them to her face and began to cry into them--little hard sobs
that shook her. And he held her close and patted the troubled shoulder.
"There, there!" he said. His voice was very young and happy and
surprised.
And she looked up and smiled--a queer little reddened smile--under her
crooked cap.
The bell tinkled--and rang a long shrill burr.
"I shall have to go! I know I look like a fright!" She reached to the
cap.
"You look dear!" said the young man exultantly.
But she was gone and he was speaking only to the white wainscoted panels
of the linen-room and to the sunlight flooding in.