"She gave me yours to read," said Hester mischievously; whereat Tom flushed and looked away and laughed. "Tell me," she went on. "What did she answer?"
"She? Who?"
"Why, Harriet—wasn't that her name?"
"There's no such person."
"What? Do you mean to say it was all a trick, and there's no Harriet Sands in existence?"
"You're wrong now. There is a Harriet Sands, and she belongs to Runcorn too; only she's a ship."
"A ship! And the letter you made me write—it almost made me cry, too—was that meant only for a ship?"
"No, it was not—but you're laughing at me." He turned almost savagely, and catching sight of something in her eyes, stood still. "If you only knew—-do you know?"
"I wish I did—I think I do."
He caught at her hands and clasped them over the daffodils.