Page:The Other House (London, William Heinemann, 1896), Volume 2.djvu/87

Rh "And like you?" Rose smiled. "No, not like either of us. She's always here."

"And it's from her you're to keep a certain little person?"

"It's from her." Rose spoke with rich brevity.

Dennis hesitated. "Would you trust the little person to another little person?"

"To you—to hold?" Rose looked amused. "Without a pang!" The child, at this, profoundly meditative and imperturbably "good," submitted serenely to the transfer and to the prompt, long kiss which, as he gathered her to him, Dennis, in his turn, imprinted on her arm. "I'll stay with you!" she declared with expression; on which he renewed, with finer relish, the freedom she permitted, assuring her that this settled the question and that he was her appointed champion. Rose watched the scene between them, which was charming; then she brought out abruptly: "What I said to Mr. Bream just now I didn't say for Mr. Bream."

Dennis had the little girl close to him; his arms were softly round her and, like Rose's just before, his cheek, as he tenderly bent his head, was pressed