Chapter 26

"Have you missed me, Pixie, while, I've been away?"

Now she hesitated, but her eyes remained steady and candid.

"It had been such a little time, you know; and you had never stayed with us at home. I could hardly _miss_ you out of my life, but I ... _thought_ of you!"

"Did you, Pixie? Did you, little Pixie? ... I wonder _what_ you thought!"

Pixie did not answer that question. The answer would have been too long, too complicated. She smiled, a wistful little smile, and turned away her head.

Then Stanor rose. She heard him rise, heard the chink of the tea-things on the tray as he pressed upon it in rising, heard his footsteps passing round the table towards her chair, heard in a sickening silence his summoning voice--

"Pixie!"

"Stanor!"

They looked at each other;--white, strained, tense.

"Pixie, will you marry me?"

"Yes, Stanor, I will. If you want me..."