He stood up with the words, came impulsively to her, took her hand and, bending with a careless grace, kissed it.
She started at his touch, seemed as it were to emerge from an evil dream. She met his laughing eyes, and smiled as though in spite of herself.
"You are going to be friends with me," said Saltash, with pleased conviction.
She left her hand in his. "If you don’t suggest--impossible things," she said.
He laughed carelessly, satisfied that he had scored a point. "Nonsense! Why should I? Is life so hard?"
"It’s only your point of view," he said. "Don’t take things too seriously! And above all, stick to your friends!"
She looked at him very earnestly. "Will you be a true friend to me, Charlie?"
He bent, pressing her hand to his heart. "None so true as I!" he said.
She caught back a sigh. "I want a friend--terribly," she said.
She drew her hand slowly from him. "But don’t make love to me!" she urged pleadingly. "Not even in jest! Let me trust you! Let me lean on you! Don’t--don’t trifle with me! I can’t bear it!"
Her voice trembled suddenly. Her eyes filled with tears.
Saltash made a quick gesture as if something had hurt him. "I am not always trifling when I jest," he said. "That is the mistake you always made."
Maud was silent, struggling for self-command. Yet after a moment she gave him her hand again in mute response to his protest.
He took it, held it a moment or two, then let it go.
"And you will consider my suggestion with regard to Bunny," he said.
She replied with an effort, "Yes, I will consider it."
"Good!" he said. "Talk it over with Jake! If he doesn’t view it reasonably, send him to me! But I think he will, you know. I think he will."
He turned as if to go; but paused and after a moment turned back. With an air half-imperious, half-whimsical, he held out upon the palm of his hand the sapphire and diamond ring which till that moment he had worn.
"As a token of the friendship between us," he said, "will you take this back? No, don’t shake your head! It means nothing. But I wish you to have it, and--if ever the need should arise--the need of a friend, remember!--send it to me!"
She looked at him with serious eyes. "Charlie, I would rather not."
"It isn’t sentiment," he said, with a quick lift of the brows. "It is a token--just a token whereby you may test my friendship." Then, as she still stood dubious: "Here, take it! He is coming."