She made a little gesture of amazement at herself; gravely attentive, he did not speak. Then she pointed down at her black dress, swept her hand toward the typewriter, and exclaimed: "And this is the result! But I know myself now, George, and I am glad you made me say this, for I want to beg your pardon."
"There is no need of that," he answered.
"Then," she asked, "shall we go?"
"Not yet," he replied. But he continued looking at her without saying more, and to cover her embarrassment she said:
"Just let me tell you first that Mr. Fenno has engaged me permanently, and I feel that I have started a new life, George."
She was attempting to be gay, a difficult task in the face of his continued serious scrutiny; but to her relief he spoke. "A new life? Why, that leads to an old subject, Judith. And what you have said makes me hope that some day I may begin a new life, too."
"Yours begins next week," she said, "with the stockholders' meeting."
"It begins," he returned, "whenever you say the word." She turned abruptly aside from him and looked out of the window; there could now be no doubt whence came the colour that flooded her face and even touched her ears with coral. He came close to her side.
"See," he said, pointing out the window. "The sun is going down. Shall it not rise again on a new life for us both?"
"George," she answered, "how can I marry any one?"