“I can't answer you,” she said, releasing her hand from him.
“It was not fair to ask you. What I wish to do is to restore the original status. You have kept your engagement to walk with me, and your conscience is clear. Now, Miss Blood, may I have your company for a little stroll over the deck of the Aroostook?” He made her another very low bow.
“What must I say?” asked Lydia, joyously.
“That depends upon whether you consent. If you consent, you must say, 'I shall be very glad.'”
“And if I don't?”
“Oh, I can't put any such decision into words.”
Lydia mused a moment. “I shall be very glad,” she said, and put her hand again into the arm he offered.
As happens after such a passage they were at first silent, while they walked up and down.
“If this fine weather holds,” said Staniford, “and you continue as obliging as you are to-night, you can say, when people ask you how you went to Europe, that you walked the greater part of the way. Shall you continue so obliging? Will you walk with me every fine night?” pursued Staniford.
“Do you think I'd better say so?” she asked, with the joy still in her voice.