“Oh!” He paused. It took him a moment to get the sense of what she had said through his brain. Plainly, Arcadian air possessed a quality not contained in ordinary ether, and its effect was strangely deranging to the senses. “Oh!” he repeated presently, “I am glad you haven’t. I shouldn’t want you to――er――――”
But that didn’t appear to be just the right thing to say, judging from the sudden expression of reserve which settled over her countenance. Ethan shook himself awake.
“It is time for me to go,” she said, getting to her feet. Ethan made an absurdly futile motion toward assisting her. “I think I have explained matters, don’t you?”
[Illustration: “I THINK I HAVE EXPLAINED MATTERS, DON’T YOU?”]
“You have explained,” he answered judicially, “but there is much more that would bear, that even demands elucidation.”
“I don’t see that there is,” she replied a trifle coldly.
“Oh, of course, if you prefer to have me place my own interpretation on――things――――!”
“What things?” he repeated vaguely. “Oh, why――er――lots,” he ended lamely.
“Good morning. Now that I know who you are――――”
“You don’t know who I am!” she retorted, facing him defiantly.
“And I know more besides,” he added mysteriously.
“You forget that we gods have powers of――――”
“Not to-day,” he answered gently. “To-morrow, perhaps.”
He raised his paddle and turned the canoe about.
“But you will not see me to-morrow,” she said, stifling the smile that threatened to mar her severity.
“You are not thinking of leaving Arcady?” he asked in surprise. “Where, pray, could you find a more delightful pool than this? Observe those swans! Observe the lilies! Besides, even in Arcady one doesn’t move so late in the season.”
She regarded him for a moment with intense gravity. Then,
“You really think so?” she asked musingly.
He waited, wondering at himself for caring so much about her decision. At last,
“Perhaps you are right,” she said. “Good morning.”
“And I, shall see you to-morrow?” he cried eagerly.
She turned under the first tree. The green shadows played over her hair and dappled her white gown with tremulous silhouettes.
“That,” she laughed softly, tantalizingly, “is in the hands of the gods.”
Her dress showed here and there through the trees for a moment and then was lost to sight. Ethan heaved a sigh. Then he smiled. Then he seized the paddle and shot the canoe toward the outlet.
