"My thoughts were running in the contrary direction," said Canning. "Do you remember my saying long ago that once I began to gambol, I was never satisfied till I had gambolled all over the place? I suppose I need a guardian, but unluckily I have one. Miss Heth, I"ve some sad news--sad for me, I mean. I must go south to-morrow."
Carlisle turned her head with a little start.
"To-morrow! Oh, _no_!"
"No--you"re right! I _can"t _go to-morrow! The day after at the farthest, or I suppose Heber"ll be down after me with a couple of sheriffs."
"But I don"t understand," she said, hurriedly. "What"s happened? I--I hoped you would stay till the end of the week at least."
Canning"s gaze remained upon the fire.
"So did I, though of course I"ve known I"d no business hanging on the skirt of Mason and Dixon"s line this way. I might almost as well be in my office at home--tackling the pile of work that"s been rolling up while I go on with this invalid"s mummery.... Well, Heber"s found me out, as of course the clever beggar would. He"s been thinking, you see, that I was in Pineburst, at the least. I had a red-headed telegram from him this afternoon ordering me to move on to Palm Beach instanter, or he would bring my revered parents down on me like a thousand of brick--no small matter, I a.s.sure you.... Palm Beach--Havana, perhaps!--till winter breaks!... A happy New Year message, isn"t it?"
"It"s very sad for me," said Carlisle, looking away from him.
"Well, I can"t say that I feel exactly hilarious about it, you know."
There fell a brief silence, in which the crackling of the large new coal became noticeable.
"Duty is a hard word, Miss Heth," said Canning. "A thousand times I"ve wished that I wasn"t an only son--my family"s one hopeful. But I am, alas.... And hence the little rest-cure...."
"Yes, it"s hard," she answered. And instead of going on as some girls would, "Don"t you think you could _possibly_ stay a little longer?"--she added, in tones of comforting: "But of course you will enjoy Florida immensely. You know you"ll find agreeable people, and plenty of fun--"
"Of course! It is my particular delight," said Canning, in his hoa.r.s.ened voice, "to stay in an attractive place just long enough to fall in love with it, and then be whipped away like a naughty schoolboy."
Carlisle slowly drew off her glove.
"I"m glad you"ve liked it here," said she.... "Shall you stop again, on your way back home?"
The man"s eyes turned from the fire full upon her face. His voice changed a little.
"What do you think?"
"I only know what I hope," said she; and her gold-and-black lashes fell.
The firelight played upon her half-averted face, twisted shadows into the sheen of her hair, incarnadined her smooth cheek. Whiter and softer than swan"s down gleamed her round bare shoulder, her perfect neck.
Canning"s blood moved. He turned more fully and leaned toward her, his elbow on her chair-arm.
"Could you think that all these happy days with you have meant so little to me?... You"ve a poor opinion of me, indeed. Didn"t I say in the beginning that you did not know how to be kind?"
At his tone, the girl"s breath came faster. She sat in silence pulling her long gloves between slim little hands.
"You are hard, Miss Heth," said Canning, slowly. And he added, with that touch of unconscious pride with which he always spoke of the Cannings, their position and serious responsibilities in the world: "When I compel myself to think of my duty toward my father and my family, I make sacrifices which ought, I think, to win me your approval. I"ve a place to fill some day.... But since you ask, I shall think also of myself. I shall come again to the old Payne fort."
She gave him a look which said that she was not really unkind. And Canning immediately possessed her ungloved hand in both of his. Her heart flattered at his touch; her hand seemed to feel that this indeed was where it belonged; but, on the whole, training and intuition appeared to indicate a contrary view. There was a moment of stillness, of acquiescence, in which she became aware that he bent nearer. And then Carlisle rose, with a natural air, taking the hand along with her, incidentally as it were. Standing by the fire, looking down into it, she said:
"The town will be empty without you."
Behind her, Canning had risen too, with a sort of sharpness. He was silent. And then it was borne in upon her that the proud young man was moving toward his trappings, to go....
"Your friendly words are much appreciated," said he, smiling. "But I observe that I"ve overstayed horribly."
The girl regarded him. Hardly since the first moments in Kerr"s apartment, had she heard that ironical note in Mr. Canning"s voice; and yet she understood at once, and was not alarmed. Gently as she had removed herself, he had felt himself rebuffed; and he could be abrupt at his pleasure.
Nothing good could come out of this horrid evening, but there would be another. And in her heart, besides, she did not believe that he would go away day after to-morrow....
"Perhaps you"ll drive with me to-morrow afternoon?"
"Oh, I"d like to so much," she said, naturally, as if nothing had pa.s.sed between them. "And I"m so sorry about to-night, really. You"ve been such a saint, and all for me. You deserve a beautiful reward, a big medal, at least, and instead, an icy five-mile ride--"
"Reward!" said Canning, wheeling, still smiling a little. "What under heaven does the inconsequent s.e.x know of reward? Up they trip, and with one flip of a little high heel kick a man"s settled plans topsy-turvy.
And for this upsetting he must thank his stars if he gets in return one kind smile a week. Punishment, not reward, strikes me as the feminine idea...."
"I think," she said, a little embarra.s.sed, "the only person I"ve really punished to-night is Me."
And she felt a twinge, half regret, half compunction, which was not tactical at all. After all, this man had been extraordinarily nice to her, and she was letting him go feeling that she did not appreciate it....
She offered him her left hand to say good-night, and invested the gesture with a sweet air of penitence.
"But don"t speak as if you were displeased with me, just when I"m so sad about your going away.... _Are_ you displeased with me--or do you like me very much?"
"I am displeased with you, and I like you very much."
As the small hand lingered with him, warming by contact, the man"s clasp tightened. He brought up his other hand and folded it over it.
"I"ll miss you dreadfully--you know that.... Very, _very_ much? That"s the largest amount of liking known, isn"t it?"
"Then that"s the amount ..."
Outside sounded the blasts of horns and the wheels of departing guests from Mr. Beirne"s: "low on the sand and loud on the stone." In the soft-lit room no sound broke the nocturnal stillness except the mechanism of the clock, pushing busily toward the three-quarter mark.
Carlisle was looking up at Canning with eyes full of unpremeditated sweetness. Into Canning"s face the blood leapt suddenly. Without other warning, he leaned back against the heavy table, and took her almost roughly in his arms.
"I"m mad about you, you lovely little witch. Do you hear? It grinds my heart that I must leave you...."
The turbulence of the sudden demonstration swept the girl from her moorings. If she had seemed to invite it, it yet came quite unexpectedly. For the moment she stood still in Canning"s embrace, yielding herself with a thrilled pa.s.sivity, as one who, with a full heart, touches high destiny at last. And in that moment her cheek, hair, eyes, then at last her lips, felt the sting of his Catullian endearments....
But the moment of bliss in culmination pa.s.sed with fainting quickness.
The willing ear heard not. Unsteadied intuitions began to work again, chilling the girl"s blood with the knowledge of wrong here, of glaring omission. And the more her gallant murmured, it seemed, the wider gaped the sudden lack....
"You"ve been so good to me--so dear, so sweet--charmed away my hours as no one else could. Darling!... It"s hard to be the stranger and the pa.s.ser-by! I know you"ll forget me, only too soon.... How can I tell you how grateful I am for all you"ve given me, in sweetness and happy days?..."
How, indeed, since this was the utmost of his wish of her?
The girl"s blood warmed again with a leap, overflowing upon her fine skin. Understanding now came to her, with crushing force. Her knight made for her a pretty summary of an episode that was past. There was to come no coronation of words to enn.o.ble these caresses: Mr. Canning, at parting, desired to thank her for her sweetness. And this was the high moment toward which she had been dancing on the fleece-pink of clouds through many days....
And then his arms about her were suddenly a burning and a torture; she felt a blush sweep her from head to foot, enveloping her as in a garment of fire, shaking her with a wild mysterious shame. And she took herself, almost with violence, from the enfolding embrace.
All tenderness, Canning came after her, Pan and his fleeing nymph....