And Araminta had not been intended, by Dame Nature, for such shielding. Every line of her body, rounding into womanhood, defied Aunt Hitty's well-meant efforts. The soft curve of her cheek, the dimples that lurked unsuspected in the comers of her mouth, the grave, sweet eyes--all these marked Araminta for love. She had, too, a wistful, appealing childishness.
"Did you like the story book?" asked Ralph.
"Oh, so much!"
"I thought you would. What part of it did you like best?"
"It was all lovely," replied Araminta, thoughtfully, "but I think the best part of it was when she went back to him after she had made him go away. It made him so glad to know that they were to talk together again."
Ralph looked keenly at Araminta, the love of man and woman was so evidently outside her ken. The sleeping princess in the tower had been no more set apart. But, as he remembered; the sleeping princess had been wakened by a kiss--when the right man came.
A lump came into his throat and he swallowed hard. Blindly, he went over to her chair. The girl's flower-like face was lifted questioningly to his. He bent over and kissed her, full upon the lips.
Araminta shrank from him a little, and the colour surged into her face, but her eyes, still trustful, still tender, never wavered from his.
"I suppose I'm a brute," Ralph said, huskily, "but God knows I haven't meant to be."
Araminta smiled--a sweet, uncomprehending smile. Ralph possessed himself of her hand. It was warm and steady--his own was cold and tremulous.
"Child," he said, "did any one ever kiss you before?"
"No," replied Araminta; "only Aunt Hitty. It was when I was a baby and she thought I was lost. She kissed me--here." Araminta pointed to her soft cheek. "Did you kiss me because I was well?"
Ralph shook his head despairingly. "The man in the book kissed the lady," went on Araminta, happily, "because he was so glad they were to talk together again, but we--why, I shall never see you any more," she concluded, sadly.
His fingers tightened upon hers. "Yes," he said, in a strange voice, "we shall see each other again."
"They both seem very well," sighed Araminta, referring to Aunt Hitty and Mr. Thorpe, "and even if I fell off of a ladder again, it might not hurt me at all. I have fallen from lots of places and only got black and blue. I never broke before."
"Listen, child," said Ralph. "Would you rather live with Aunt Hitty, or with me?"
"Why, Doctor Ralph! Of course I'd rather live with you, but Aunt Hitty would never let me!"