Gladys was full of every womanly quality. Some judged her to becold and hard; but such a thought was treason. That delicatelybronzed skin, almost oriental in its coloring, that raven hair, thelarge liquid eyes, the full but exquisite lips,-all the stigmata ofpassion were there. But I was sadly conscious that up to now Ihad never found the secret of drawing it forth. However, comewhat might, I should have done with suspense and bring mattersto a head to-night. She could but refuse me, and better be arepulsed lover than an accepted brother.
So far my thoughts had carried me, and I was about to breakthe long and uneasy silence, when two critical, dark eyes lookedround at me, and the proud head was shaken in smiling reproof.
"I have a presentiment that you are going to propose, Ned. I dowish you wouldn‘t; for things are so much nicer as they are."