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" They both started, and their hands fell asunder as a
shadow darkened the room, and Sir Philip stood before them.
"Excuse me!" he said stiffly, lifting his hat with ceremonious
politeness. "I ought to have knocked at the door--I--"
"Why?" asked Thelma, raising her eyebrows in surprise.
"Yes--why indeed?" echoed Lorimer, with a frank look at his friend.
"I am afraid,"--and for once the generally good-humored Errington looked
positively petulant--"I am afraid I interrupted a pleasant
conversation!" And he gave a little forced laugh of feigned amusement,
but evident vexation.
"And if it was pleasant, shall you not make it still more so?" asked
Thelma, with timid and bewitching sweetness, though her heart beat very
fast,--she was anxious. Why was Sir Philip so cold and distant? He
looked at her, and his pent-up passion leaped to his eyes and filled
them with a glowing and fiery tenderness,--her head drooped suddenly,
and she turned quickly, to avoid that searching, longing gaze.


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