She flushed and turned her face aside that I might not see it.
"And you won't misunderstand?" she asked.
"I don't think I could misunderstand you, Elsie. I don't think anybody could."
She came up closer.
"Well, it's this, Jack. Sit down here by me. I have no one I can confide in but you. You know how kind you have always been to me. Ever since I was a wee bairn in a strange land. I can't talk to Tammas about it, but I feel there is something strange between Colonel Goff and me. I feel that there is—"
I started. She was pale, but went on.
"Well, you know, I didn't come here with them. I didn't come here with them—with my grandparents; that was so long ago I don't remember what is back of it. Anyway, soon after I came I remember Colonel Goff. And do you know," she went on, "he has been so good to me that—that I cannot understand it at all—only I feel when I am with him that I am drawn to him so! Oh, I have seen so much in him that others don't see—and when I see him watching me so closely and saying nothing, it hurts me."
She did not finish, but looked down the path, up which Colonel Goff, himself, was riding towards us.
Elsie paled and then flushed quickly. He was smiling at us, his little eyes twinkling kindly. He gave us a quick military salute.
"My word, a tête-à-tête, and a bloomin' fool it is who'd break in on it. Hello, lassie—Jack!"