Page:Delight - de la Roche - 1926.djvu/86

 brink of the lagoon he caught her in his arms and they clung together, panting.

"My, but you're a wild one," he breathed. "You gave me a chase."

He could feel her heart thudding against his side. His arms closed tightly about her. She half-turned her face towards his.

"Delight!" he cried, low, "let me kiss you. My darling girl."

He kissed her again and again, clutching her to his breast. Deep sobs shook his shoulders.

She said, surprised: "Jimmy, you're crying."

"I know," he sobbed. "It's because I'm 'fraid I'll lose you—all those others—I want to marry you. I'm just about crazy over you."

The lagoon lay, red as the petal of a rose, before them; the red sun glared like a staring wild bird at them; little rills of water sought their way, whispering, among the reeds and sedges.

"Will you let me buy you a little ring?" he whispered. "Just a pretty little ring to hold you fast by like a pigeon? Eh, Delight, will you?" His lips were against her cheek.

"Oo, Jimmy, I don't want to be tied up! I want to be my very own, I do."

"Why, look here," he blazed, "you'll be your very own, and you'll have me, too. That'll be the only difference. You'll have two 'stead of one. That's all. Come along, now, say you will. Oh, if I only knew the sort of words swell fellows say! I'd just pour them out of me, and you'd have to say yes."

She shook her head. "I'd like the nice little ring but I don't want to be married."

"Well, you needn't be for a long time. But just to wear it so's I'd know you'd be mine some day."