But it was not till Derrick bade Anice good-night, that he heard what she intended to say to him. When he was going, just as he stepped across the threshold of the entrance door, she stopped him.
“Wait a minute, if you will be so good,” she said, “I have something to ask of you.”
He paused, half smiling.
“I thought you had forgotten,” he returned.
“Oh! no, I had not forgotten,” she answered. “But it will only seem a very slight thing to you perhaps.” Then she began again, after a pause. “If you please, do not think I am a coward,” she said.
“A coward!” he repeated.
“You were afraid to let Mr. Grace tell me about your accident last night and though it was very kind of you, I did not like it. You must not think that because these things are new and shock me, I am not strong enough to trust in. I am stronger than I look.”
“My dear Miss Barholm,” he protested, “I am sure of that. I ought to have known better. Forgive me if—”
“Oh,” she interposed, “you must not blame yourself. But I wanted to ask you to be so kind as to think better of me than that. I want to be sure that if ever I can be of use to anybody, you will not stop to think of the danger or annoyance. Such a time may never come, but if it does—”
“I shall certainly remember what you have said,” Fergus ended for her.