I am only pretending."
He smiled back at her suddenly. "You're a brick! I've never seen
any woman stand up to hard knocks as you do. They generally want
to be carried over the rough places. But you--you stand on your
feet."
The genuine approbation of his voice brought the colour back to her
face. His smile too, though it reminded her piercingly of Guy,
sent a glow of comfort to her chilled and trembling heart.
"I want to if I can," she said. "But I've had rather a--knock-out
this time. I shall be all right presently, when I've had time to
pull myself together."
He bent abruptly and laid his hand upon hers.
"Look here!" he said. "Don't worry!"
She lifted clear eyes to his. "No--I won't! There is always a way
out of every difficulty, isn't there?"
"There certainly is out of this one," he said.
"I'll show it you presently--if you'll promise not to be offended."
"Offended!" said Sylvia. "That isn't very likely, is it?"
"I don't know," said Burke. "I hope not. Good-bye!" He
straightened himself, stood a moment looking down at her, then
turned finally and left her.
There was something in the manner of his going that made her wonder.
The entrance of the old Kaffir woman a few minutes later diverted
her thoughts. She found Mary Ann an interesting study, being the
first of her kind that she had viewed at close quarters.
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