This was not at all what Garde had started to say, nor what she wanted to say; but though it was the same Adam, quite to her heart’s satisfaction, yet he was now a man, and a maidenly diffidence shamed her riotous gladness, and—Prudence was present.
“But,” said Adam, fumbling in a pocket over the region of his heart, “the trinket I brought you from Hispaniola?”
“Oh, marry, it has kept so well all these years,” said Garde roguishly, “surely it must still keep till—surely anyway till daylight. Really, sir, we must thank you again and return before it is actually dark.” She gave him one look which, had he been a woman, he would readily have interpreted, but being a man, somewhat of its significance was lost upon him.
“But now I know I have kept it too long already,” he insisted, still tugging at the stubborn pocket. “Surely——”
“It will be the riper for keeping a little longer,” said Garde, almost impatient with him for not seeing that she wanted to receive it only when they two were alone together. “We thank you once more, for saving Little-Standing-Panther, and so—good night,”
“But when—what day?—to-morrow?” cried the eager rover. “When may I give it?”
“Oh stupid!” said Garde to herself, almost vexed at his lack of understanding and tact. Aloud she called back, “Did you say good night? Prudence, say good night again to Mr. Rust.”
Prudence called good night once more, this making her third time, and Adam was left there in the alley alone. He went to the gate and, leaning over it, clutched two of its pickets in his hands, as once before he had done to another gate, and stood there gazing ardently into the gathering darkness.
At length, with a heavy sigh, of joy and impatience blended, he strode a little down the lane. Then he strode back. So, up and down he paraded, for fifteen minutes. At the end of this time he suddenly bethought him of the beef-eaters and the dinner at William Phipp’s. He then hastened, tardily enough, back the way he had originally come.
Eager to find his companions, yet completely scatterbrained by the meeting with Garde, the sight of her radiant beauty, and the chaos of plans for seeing her again at daylight, which were teeming in his head, he fairly fell over the outstretched feet of his faithful followers before he saw them.