We are but the acquaintances of a chance meeting." She held out her hand across the table, the impulsive movement robbing her words of their sting.

"You understand this is not indifference, but necessity." I clasped closely the white fingers extended toward me, my heart throbbing, but my lips held prisoners by her eyes.
"Yes, I understand perfectly, but I make no promise." "No promise! What do you mean ?" "Only that to my mind this is no mere chance acquaintance, nor is it destined to end here.

Sometime I am going to know you, and we are going to be friends." "Indeed!" her eyes dropped, the shadow of lashes on her cheeks.

"You are very audacious to say that." "Yet you are not altogether sorry to hear me say it." "Oh, I do not take your words seriously at all.

They are mere Yankee boasting--" She stopped suddenly, the slight flush fading from her cheeks as she arose to her feet, staring out through the open window.