"I don't know at all what you mean."
"I guess I was pretty ignorant about women," his began pacing up and down the floor as he talked. "I guess I didn't know how strong a woman could be. You was always givin' way; you done everything I told you. And, all the time, you was keeping something back from me that I couldn't get at. Whenever I thought I was goin' to put my hand on you—zip! You was away again. I guess I found I'd only caught hold of a shadow."
"I don't know what more you expected. I didn't know you wanted anything more!"
"I guess I wanted love," he said in a tone so low that she barely caught it.
He stood over by the table, looking down on her from his great height. His face was flushed, but his eyes were steady and unashamed.
"You!"
She looked at him in absolute consternation. Her breath came in hurried gasps. But her heart sang in her breast and the little pathetic droop of her mouth disappeared. Her telltale eyes dropped on her work. Not yet, not yet; she was greedy to hear more.
"I know you now less well than when you'd been only a week up to Ed's." He resumed his pacing up and down. "I guess I've lost the trail. I'm just beating round, floundering in the bush."
"I never knew you wanted love," she said softly.
"I guess I didn't know it until just lately, either."