He began to smile.
"Could you guess how I obtained it?" he asked.
She turned to regard him.
"What have you done?" she asked soberly.
"Showed him your letter."
"Stephen!" she gasped as she drew back.
Neither spoke. He continued to smile at her apparent concern, while she stared at him.
"Do you mean it?" she asked; then quickly—"or are you teasing?"
"I did. I showed the letter to him, and asked if I might return to you."
"He read it?"