Robin's hand lay resting on the table beside her. Into it she deliberately slipped, her own; and then gazed—flushed and defiant, but proud and smiling—round a circle composed entirely of faces belonging to people suffering from the gapes.
I glanced at Robin. He looked perfectly dumfounded, but I saw his hand close automatically round Dolly's fingers, and I saw, too, her pink nails go white under the pressure.
But Dolly seemed to feel no pain. On the contrary, she continued to smile upon us. Then, bowing her head quickly, before any of us realised what she would be at, she lightly kissed the great hand which imprisoned her own. Then she looked up again, with glistening eyes.
"There!" she said. "Now you know!"
Our breath came back, and the spellbound silence was broken.
"Dolly!" said Kitty.
"My dear!" said Dilly.
"What—ho!" drawled Dicky.
But it was Gerald who rounded off the situation. He was standing on the table by this time.
"Three cheers for Dolly and Robin!" he roared.