He could not see her face—but the words in her laughing lovely voice gave him a sense of reassurance.
“Janey,” he said, “if I could only have you like this always. Shut away from the world.”
“But I don’t want to be shut away. I should feel—caged——”
“Not if you cared.”
There was in his tone the huskiness of intense feeling. She was moved by it. “Oh, I know what you mean. But love won’t come to me like that—shut in. I shall want freedom, and sunshine. I’ll be a gull over the sea—a ship in full sail—a gypsy on the road—but I’ll never be a ghost in a fog.”
His hand dropped from her arm. “Perhaps you’ll be a princess in a castle. Towne can make you that.”
“Why do you keep harping on Mr. Towne? I don’t like it.”
“Because—oh, I think everybody wants you——”
And now it was she who caught at his arm in the mist, and leaned on it. “I’m not the least in love with Frederick Towne. And I shall never marry a man I don’t love, Evans.”
When they came to the little house they found old Sophy nodding in the kitchen. She always stayed with Jane when Baldy was away. So Evans said “Good-night” and started back.