“Certainly.”
“Then it’s all right,” she said with a light laugh. “You must receive his message,” Susie said. “You’ve won the heart of the noblest man I have ever known—a great, beautiful, measureless love. Don’t turn away from it—you may not know its like again.”
The full lips smiled curiously.
“I’ve brought you a letter from him—you must read it.”
Susie pressed the letter into Stella’s hand and turned away to the window. She heard the rattle of the paper as it was opened and refolded, and walked back to the bedside. Before she could ask Stella’s answer, her eye rested on a letter in Ackerman’s handwriting, lying open on the white covering. She started violently but managed to suppress an exclamation. Only that morning she had received herself a letter from the young Northerner declaring his love in simple, honest fashion. She couldn’t believe her eyes at first, but a second look convinced her of its reality. What puzzled her still more was to observe beside this letter a sheet of paper on which was drawn the diagram of the hall with the minute accuracy of an architect’s plan, with Ackerman’s notes interlining it.
“What shall I say?” she stammered in confusion.
Stella looked at her with a momentary start, smiled and answered:
“Tell Mr. Graham I have received and read his letter. I’ll think it over this evening and reply to-morrow.”
“Then I’ll go,” said Susie, taking her hand. “I’m so glad I saw you.”
As she turned through the door her eye again was drawn irresistibly to Ackerman’s letter. She returned to John Graham’s office stunned by this puzzling discovery.