"Of what were you thinking, Miss Douglas, during the minutes you hung suspended over that abyss?" he asked, moving so that he could rest his head on his hand, and thus look at her more steadily.
Anne turned. For she always looked directly at the person who spoke to her, having none of those side glances, tableaux of sweeping eyelashes, and willful little motions which belong to most pretty girls. She turned. And now Dexter was surprised to see how she was blushing, so deeply and slowly that it must have been physically painful.
"She is beginning to be conscious of my manner at last," he said to himself, with self-gratulation. Then he added, in a lower voice, "I was thinking only of you; and what a brutal sacrifice it would be if your life should be given for that other!"
"Valeria is a good girl, I think," said Anne, recovering herself, and answering as impersonally as though he had neither lowered his voice nor thrown any intensity into his eyes. "However, none of the ladies here approach Helen—Mrs. Lorrington; and I am sure you agree with me in thinking so, Mr. Dexter."
"You are loyal to your friend."
"No one has been so kind to me; I both love her and warmly admire her. How I hope she may come soon! And when she does, as I can not help loving to be with her, I suppose I shall see a great deal more of you," said the girl, smiling, and in her own mind addressing the long-devoted Knight-errant.
"Shall you?" thought Dexter, not a little piqued by her readiness to yield him even to her friend. "I will see that you do not long continue quite so indifferent," he added to himself, with determination. Then, in pursuance of this, he decided to go in and dance with some one else; that should be a first step.
"I believe I am engaged to Mrs. Bannert for the next dance," he said, regretfully. "Shall I take you in?"
"No; please let me stay here a while. My arm really aches dully all the time, and the fresh air is pleasant."
"And if Miss Vanhorn should ask?"