“It seemed as though we were again about to be severed. At that moment he came towards me, grasped my hand, and I just caught the hurried words:—‘I leave for London by the next train. Send me your address.’ Speech seemed to have left me, but it flashed upon me that I was in ignorance of his, and managed to stammer out:—‘I do not know where.’ He instantly handed me his card, and was gone.
“My father lifted me down from the platform and we groped our way out in the darkness.
“I then learned that Captain Mayne Reid had only arrived that evening, and was obliged to leave by the midnight train for London.
“On awaking the next morning, I immediately sprang out of bed to see if the card which I had left on my table the previous night was still there—or if it had not all been a dream. But there was the card, with the name and address in full.
“It was not long after breakfast before I wrote and posted a formal little note:
“‘Dear Captain Reid,—As you asked me last night to send you my address, I do so.’
“By return of post I received the following:
“‘My Little Zoë,—Only say that you love me, and I will be with you at once.’
“My reply was:
“‘I think I do love you.’