Presently, however, his silence controlled the situation.

The drift of his thoughts began to tell.

He gazed fixedly at nothing in particular, as if he were thinking of something which concerned her not at all.

His thoughts, however, spoke for themselves.

She was very much aware that a climax was pending.
"Do you know," he said, "I have spent the happiest evenings in years since I have known you ?" "Have you ?" she said, with assumed airiness, but still excited by the conviction which the tone of his voice carried.
"I was going to tell you the other evening," he added, "but somehow the opportunity slipped away." Carrie was listening without attempting to reply.