Children! Stella was not quite that--as old as Megan! Her talk--quick,
rather hard and shy, yet friendly--seemed to flourish on his silences,
and about her there was something cool and virginal--a maiden in
a bower. At dinner, to which Halliday, who had swallowed too much
sea-water, did not come, Sabina said:
"I'm going to call you Frank."
Freda echoed:
"Frank, Frank, Franky."
Ashurst grinned and bowed.
"Every time Stella calls you Mr. Ashurst, she's got to pay a forfeit.
It's ridiculous."
Ashurst looked at Stella, who grew slowly red. Sabina giggled; Freda
cried:
"She's 'smoking'--'smoking!'--Yah!"
Ashurst reached out to right and left, and grasped some fair hair in
each hand.
"Look here," he said, "you two! Leave Stella alone, or I'll tie you
together!"
Freda gurgled:
"Ouch! You are a beast!"
Sabina murmured cautiously:
"You call her Stella, you see!"
"Why shouldn't I? It's a jolly name!"
"All right; we give you leave to!"
Ashurst released the hair. Stella! What would she call him--after this?
But she called him nothing; till at bedtime he said, deliberately:
"Good-night, Stella!"
"Good-night, Mr.----Good-night, Frank! It was jolly of you, you know!"
"Oh-that! Bosh!"
Her quick, straight handshake tightened suddenly, and as suddenly became
slack.
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