“Romance writers,” he at length responded, “are allowed the privilege of creating imaginary characters. Otherwise they would not be writers of romance. These characters are sometimes drawn from real originals—not necessarily those who may have figured in the actual scenes described—but who have at some time, and elsewhere, made an impression upon the mind of the writer.”
“And Zoë was one of these?”
Still a touch of sadness in the tone. How sweet to the ears of him so interrogated! “She was, and is.”
“She is still living?”
“Still!”
“Of course. Why should I have thought otherwise? And she must yet be young?”
“Just fifteen years—almost to a day.”
“Indeed! what a singular coincidence! You know it is my age?”
“Miss Vernon, there are many coincidences stranger than that.”
“Ah! true; but I could not help thinking of it. Could I?”