The face of the young girl was still as clear and distinct in his mind as the carving of his cameo, and he still thrilled in every pulse of his being whenever he recalled the beautiful azure eyes that had shone with such intense earnestness as she watched for him to come forth from the car at New Haven, the quiver of her red lips and the light of heartfelt gratitude illumining her delicate, clear-cut features.
How his heart leaped as he seemed to hear again the music of her fresh young voice, as she gave utterance to those eager, impulsive words: “Life is very bright to me; I love to live; I shall never forget you; I shall love you for the heroism of this day—always.”
He had said those last words over and over to himself many, many times, until they had awakened in his own heart a love for that peerless girl that would never wane—a love that meant a thousandfold more than she had intended to imply, and which would never be satisfied with less than a full requital from its object.
This mood was on him now stronger than ever as he thought over that never-to-be-forgotten scene. But how dare he dream of such a thing! It surely seemed to him the height of presumption, and he flushed a guilty crimson in view of his audacity.
Then another train of thought was started, and his handsome brown eyes were clouded with pain as he questioned within himself what this sweet, golden-haired, blue-eyed “Mollie” could be to Philip Wentworth, that he should so arbitrarily demand how he had become possessed of the ring that had once been hers.
When he had told him that it did not concern him, he had exclaimed with repressed passion, “It does concern me, and more, perhaps, than you have any idea.”
What did he mean by that? he wondered. Could it be possible that there had been a boy-and-girl love affair between those two, and that Philip Wentworth had become madly jealous upon seeing the ring upon his hand and failing to ascertain how it had come there?
This was not a very pleasing thought to him, but he had at least learned that the fair “Mollie” was at present traveling in Europe, while he also reasoned that there could not have been any very confidential missives exchanged, or the young man would not have been so in the dark regarding the presentation of the cameo, and these facts afforded him some consolation. Then his mind reverted to the beautiful woman whom the professor had introduced as Mrs. Temple, and whom Wentworth had addressed as “mother.”