The Flaming Jewel

"Why, Eve," he said, "you ought no be on your feet."

"Once," she said, "you weren't so particular about my bruises."

Her breathless little voice coming down through the starlight thrilled him.

"Do you remember what I did?" he asked.

"Yes. You bruised my hands and made my mouth bleed."

"I did penance -- for your hands."

"Yes, you kissed them!"

What possessed her -- what irresponsible exhilaration was inciting her to a daring utterly foreign to her nature? She heard herself laugh, knew that she was young, pretty, capable of provocation. And in a sudden, breathless sort of way an overwhelming desire seized her to please, to charm, to be noticed by such a man -- whatever, on afterthought, he might think of the step-child of Mike Clinch.

Stormont had come directly under her window and stood looking up.

"I dared not offer further penance," he said.

The emotion in his voice stirred her -- but she was still laughing down at him.

She said: "You did offer further penance -- you offered your handkerchief. So -- as that was all you offered as reparation for -- my lips----"

"Eve! I could have taken you into my arms---"

"You did! And threw me down among the spruces. You really did everything that a contrite heart could suggest----"

"Good heavens!" said that rather matter-of-fact young man, "I don't believe you have forgiven me after all."

"I have -- everything except the handkerchief----"

"Then I'm coming up to complete my penance----"

"I'll lock my door!"

"Would you?"

"I ought to. ... But if you are in great spiritual distress, and if you really and truly repent, and if you humble desire to expiate your sin by doing -- penance----" And hesitated: "Do you so desire?"

"Yes, I do."

"Humbly? Contritely?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Say `Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.'"

"Mea maxima culpa," he said so earnestly, looking up into her face that she bent lower over the sill to see him.

"Let me come up, Eve," he said.

She strove to laugh, gazing down into his shadowy face -- but suddenly the desire had left her, -- and all her gaiety left her, too, suddenly, leaving only a still excitement in her breast.

"You - you knew I was just laughing," she said unsteadily. "You understood, didn't you?"