—like the moan of the sea in my heart, and it
will not be still. Heart, body, and soul will call
to you, Ruth, so long as the breath is in my body.
I have not the courage to be your friend. I swear,
with all the strength I have left, never to see you
nor write you again. God bless you, my—
A noise at the window brought Jimmy to the surface. It was Annette Fenton, and she seemed nervous and excited.
"Mercy, Jimmy! What's the m-matter? You looked like you were caught eating doughnuts in study hour. What a funny smell! Say, Jimmy; don't you want to do something for me?"
Jimmy had spent his entire youth in urging her to accept everything that was his, and he hailed this as a good omen.
"I have a l-letter here for dad," she went on, fidgeting about uneasily and watching the door. "I don't want him to g-get it until after the last train goes to-night. Will you see that he d-doesn't get it before nine o'clock?"
Jimmy took the letter and looked blankly from it to Annette.
"Why, it's from you!"
"What if it is, you b-booby?" she cried
sharply; then she changed her tactics and looked up appealingly through the little square window.