Page:George Weston--The apple-tree girl.djvu/172

 "You want to know?" he asked.

"Yes," nodded Charlotte, not trusting herself to speak.

"Because I think—and have always thought—that you're the greatest little girl in the world. Of course, I know I've got no chance now, but"

Still Charlotte said nothing, but she raised those expressive eyebrows of hers as though to say: "You've got no chance? … Why, Neil, who told you that?"

The next moment one of his arms had slipped around her waist (which seemed to yield itself to the pressure, quite in the immemorial manner), and his other hand pressed gently against her cheek so that she couldn't turn her head away.

"Charlotte," he said. "Listen: If I were to tell you I love you, would you run away again?"

"Not this time," she whispered, finding her voice at last.