“Kiss me!” he pleaded, bending closer.
With a sudden shudder she drew away.
“Not yet! you must be patient. I’ve a lot of silly notions. That’s one of them. I’ll learn, no doubt.”
“I’ll try to teach you,” he laughed—“and be content to touch your hand until my desire shall be yours.”
They rode swiftly home, John’s soul in a warm glow of happiness. Stella spoke scarcely a word, but her cheeks were flushed and about her deep brown eyes a curious smile was constantly playing.
He left her at the door and as he pressed her hand softly said:
“You scarcely spoke the whole way home—tell me what were you thinking about?”
“I don’t know—perhaps dreaming of your terrible court—of a man being condemned to death without knowing it!”
“Yet a smile was playing about your beautiful face?”
Stella suddenly burst into half hysterical laughter: