"Oh, I will," she said desolately. "I’ll see the wretched term through. I was merely telling you what I’d rather do—go home and just live there all alone with you."
"You’d become tired of it pretty soon, Steve. Don’t you think so?"
They looked at each other intently for a moment, then an odd expression came into the girl’s grey eyes:
"It’s you who would tire of it, Jim," she said. "I’m not old enough to amuse you yet. I’m still only a child to you."
"No. You’ve been wonderful to me. But you are older. I’ve bored you sometimes."
"A girl knows," she said. "And a man can’t make a comrade of a girl who has no experiences to swap with him, no conclusions to draw, none of life’s discoveries to compare with his.... Don’t look so guilty and distressed; you have always been a perfect dear. But, oh, if you knew how hard I’ve tried to catch up with you!—how desperately I try to be old enough for you——"
"Steve, you _are_ an ideal sister! But you know how it is—when a man has such a lot to think about——"
"I _do_ know! And that is exactly what I also am determined to have—a lot to think about!" Her colour was high and her grey eyes brilliant.
"In two years you shall see. I shall be an interesting woman to you when you come back! I vow and declare I shall be interesting enough to be friends with you on equal terms! Wait and see!"
"But, Steve," he protested, smiling, yet bewildered by the sudden fiery animation of the girl, "I never supposed you felt that I condescended—patronized——"
"How could you help it!—a little fool who doesn’t know anything!" She was laughing unnaturally, and her nervous fingers tightened and relaxed on his shoulders. "But when you come back after two years’ travel, I shall at least be able to take your temperature, and keep you entertained if you’re ill——! Oh, Jim, I don’t know what I’m saying! I’m just heart-broken at going away from you. You do care a lot for me, don’t you?"
"And I promise to be a very interesting woman when you come back from abroad.... Oh, dear, the train is moving. Good-bye, Jim dear!" She flung her veil aside and put both slim arms around his neck in a passion of adoration and farewell.
He dropped to the platform from the slowly moving train and walked back toward the station. And he was uneasily conscious, for the first time in his life, of the innocent abandon of this young girl’s embrace—embarrassed by the softness of her mouth—impatient of himself for noticing it.