"I--you----"
Judith caught her trailing draperies tighter round her, conscious that they were under observation. "It"s not a kimono, it"s a negligee. And you"ve seen my hair in braids before, when I played basket-ball. But you needn"t come in unless you want to."
"I don"t."
"You"re not very nice to me. Willard tried to break in. Rena"s been trying to get me by "phone, to stay all night with me. You"re not nice to me at all."
His only reply was a kind of tortured groan, but she seemed content with it. Her voice grew compellingly sweet.
"I want to talk to you."
"Go on and talk."
She huddled her draperies closer. "I"m too cold."
"Go to bed then."
"I won"t. If you don"t come in I shall stand here till mother comes.
I"ll probably get pneumonia."
This threat evoked no reply.
"Neil," the name was said as only names are said that are new and dear--not often used yet, but often dreamed over, but there was still no answer.
"Neil, I"m awfully cold."
"I don"t care."
"Oh, don"t you?"
"You know I do. You know---- Oh, Judith, won"t you please let me go? I don"t want to come in, I tell you."
"But you"re coming?"
"Yes."
Yielding abruptly, he stepped into the hall beside her. Judith, suddenly silent, concerned herself conscientiously with the chain.
"Don"t stand there like that. I can"t fasten this if you do," she said breathlessly.
"Why?"
"Go into the library, and don"t light the lights, if you"re afraid of pigtails."
"I"m not afraid of--anything."
"Well--I"m not." With a reckless laugh, which made this comprehensive challenge to the world still more comprehensive, she followed him into the firelit room. Slender and straight in soft-falling white, her face flushed and sweet, framed between silvery gold braids, her eyes wide and challenging, she stood looking at him across the hearth.
He faced her awkwardly but bravely, tall in the shadowy room, his face very white, his dark eyes catching the last rays of light from the dying fire. The two did not move or speak till he gave a sudden, shaken laugh.
"You wanted to talk to me--talk." He smiled a quick flashing smile.
Judith drew away from him and he followed. "Now you"ve got me here, can"t you shake hands with me?"
"Neil, be careful."
"I"m doing the best I can," he said in a choked voice. "You shouldn"t get me here. You shouldn"t get me to a house by night that"s not open to me by day."
"But it is. Only they"ll never let me see you alone, and I like to. I like to talk to you. It makes me feel--comfortable. Isn"t it comfortable here?" Judith paused, overcome by an unaccountable difficulty with her breathing, but mastered it. "Comfortable and cozy? Aren"t you glad you came in?"
"Comfortable!" He laughed, came two steps nearer to her, and stopped stiffly. Judith, disposing her soft, silky draperies daintily, observed him in silence from a big chair which she had taken possession of rather abruptly, faintly smiling.
"Don"t look at me like that," he commanded.
"Like what? Sit down--over there, Neil. Isn"t it cozy? Willard"s got a new song that----"
"Willard!"
"Don"t be cross. We--haven"t very much time."
"Judith, where is this getting us? We"re not children. Won"t you talk straight to me? You ought to leave me alone, or talk straight."
"Please don"t be cross."
"Cross!" He came across the hearth and stood close before her, awkward no longer, but splendid with youth in the firelight, his dark eyes shining.
"You knew I"d come, no matter how hard I tried not to?"
"Yes," Judith breathed.
"And you meant to let me in?"
"Oh, yes."
"And you know, if I come, if you let me, I can"t help--can"t help----"
"What?"
"Oh, Judith!" He dropped on his knees beside her and hid his face.
Judith did not touch the dark head that she could see dimly in the shadowy room, outlined against her cloudy white, but she leaned closer to it, her lips parting softly, her eyes wide and strange.
"I don"t want you to help it," she breathed.
"But where will it get us?" pleaded a m.u.f.fled voice.
"I don"t care." Her hand hovered over the dark hair, touching it with the wonderful, blended awkwardness and adroitness of first caresses.
He brushed the b.u.t.terfly touch away and raised his head and looked long at her, slipping both arms round her waist and holding her tight.
"Will you always say that?"