her in the slightest degree. Never once had he put her in the uncomfortable position of forcing her to make a choice between appearing prudish in his eyes, or unconventional in others. But this afternoon he had said, as she stood a little above him, on the stairs, on her way up to her room to dress, 'I am going to kidnap you to-night. Put on something dark. I've got a canoe tied to an old stump on the edge of a little lake I've found. The moonlight on it is too lovely for you to miss. I'm going to steal you away from the others as soon as it's dark. Understand?'
'But wouldn't the others like it too?'
'No. Just you to-night.'
'But'
'It's all right,' he assured her. 'It's perfectly all right. I took Judith there last night after our game of bridge.' He had taken Judith there for the sake of the argument in case it was necessary.
'But Judith'
'It's your next-to-last night,' he reminded her, frowning a little as if annoyed that his way should be balked even for an instant. 'I've planned it. I've looked forward to it. It's our last chance. I' He stopped abruptly, as if suddenly aware of his amazing insistence, and finished quietly, simply, 'Won't you come?'
She'smiled down at him. 'Why of course I'll come,' she laughed softly, 'I'd love to!'
