"You are satisfactory," she said as they returned to the front veranda and seated themselves. "And really, Rix, I'm so terribly glad to see you that I forgive your neglect.... Are you well? You don't look very well," she added earnestly. "Why are you so white?"
"I'm in fine shape, thank you."
"I didn't mean your figure," she laughed—"Oh, that was a common kind of a joke, wasn't it? But I'm only a farmer, Rix. You must expect the ruder and simpler forms of speech from a lady of the woodshed!... Why are you so pale?"
"Do I seem particularly underdone?"
"That's horrid, too. Are you and I going to degenerate just because you work for a living? You are unusually thin, anyway; and the New York pallor is very noticeable. Will you stay and get sun-burnt?"
"I could stay a few days."
"How many?"
"How many do you want me? Two whole days, Strelsa?"
She laughed at him, then looked at him a trifle shyly, but laughed again as she answered:
"I want you to stay always, of course. Don't pretend that you don't know it, because you are perfectly aware that I never tire of you. But if you can stay only two days don't let us waste any time——"