Page:Barbour--Peggy in the rain.djvu/179

 His face bent over hers and, although she knew what was coming, she made no move to evade it, uttered no protest. Their lips met in a first kiss, a kiss that held little of passion on either side. His feeling was of tenderness and protectiveness and not a little pity; hers of mild wonder and passive content. "I love you, sweetheart," he whispered almost reverently.

She smiled faintly in the half-darkness and closed her eyes.

Miles farther on, when he thought her asleep, she broke the long silence.

"You said to-night you thought I could be very fair," she said slowly. "Whatever happens I want you to feel that I have always meant to be. Will you try?"

"Whatever happens? Yes, I shall be sure of it, dear. But what are you thinking of? What is going to happen that might tempt me to think otherwise, Peggy?"

She made no answer for a while. Finally, "So much might happen," she replied. "I wanted you to know."

"I don't like the sound of that," he responded