HER voice! He rose hurriedly, turned; SHE was standing in the doorway!
She uttered a slight cry, turned very pale, advanced towards him, stopped and leaned against the chimney-piece.
“I didn't know it was YOU.”
With her actual presence Jeff's dream and weakness fled. He rose up before her, his old bashful, stammering, awkward self.
“I didn't know YOU lived here, Miss Mayfield.”
“If you had sent word you were coming,” said Miss Mayfield, recovering her color brightly in one cheek.
The possibility of having sent a messenger in advance to advise Miss Mayfield of his projected visit did not strike Jeff as ridiculous. Your true lover is far beyond such trivialities. He accepted the rebuke meekly. He said he was sorry.
“You might have known it.”
“What, Miss Mayfield?”
“That I was here, if you WISHED to know.”