And this, after she had told him to go away and not to return! Wise in the little busy ways of the world of men, he was uneducated in the ways of a maid.
Therefore he was speechless.
"And now," she said, with the air of an early Christian tête-à-tête with Nero—"and now you do not speak to me? Why?"
"Because," he blurted out, "I thought you did not care to have me!"
Surprise, sorrow, grief gave place to pity in her eyes.
"What a silly man!" she observed. "I am going to sit down on the moss. Are you intending to call upon my father? He is still in the turret. If you can spare a moment I will tell you what he is doing."
Yes, he had a moment to spare—not many moments—he hoped she would understand that!—but he had one or two little ones at her disposal.
She read this in his affected hesitation. She would make him pay dearly for it. Vengeance should be hers!
He stood a moment, eying the water as though it had done him personal injury. Then he sat down.
"The balloon is almost ready, steering-gear and all," she said. "I saw papa yesterday for a moment; I tried to get him to stay with me, but he could not."