"The end
and the beginning."
Her companion, usually like wax to her moods, made no answer. He did
not seem to hear. His gaze seemed drowned in that wonderful blue.
Desire, who had been unaccountably content, felt suddenly lonely and
disturbed.
"What is it?" she asked. Her voice had fallen from its glad note.
She put out her hand, touching his coat sleeve timidly. It was the
first time she had ever touched him save in service. But if her
touch brought a thrill there was no> sign of it. Her voice dropped
still lower, "What are you thinking of?" she almost whispered.
The professor did not answer. Instead he turned to her with a sad
smile. (Very well done, too!)
Desire dropped her hand with a sharp exclamation. "Oh," she said, "I
forgot! You were thinking--"
The professor's smile smote her.
"Her eyes were blue like that!" he said.
Desire tripped over a fallen branch. And, when she recovered
herself, "Purple, do you mean?" she asked. "I have always thought
purple eyes were a myth."
"Now you are making fun," said the professor after a reproachful
pause.
"How do you mean--making fun?"
"'I never saw a purple cow,'" quoted he patiently.
"Oh, I wasn't!" cried Desire in distress.
Spence begged her pardon. But he did it abstractedly. His eyes were
still upon the sky.
"You'll fall over that root," prophesied she grimly. "Do look where
you are going!"
The professor returned to earth with difficulty.
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