drink to the full the wonder of her beauty, the thrill at my heart
bringing, as I felt, a pallor to my cheek. 'Don't you think you could
hit your old playfellow, Winifred?'

'No,' she said, still gazing in the same dreamy, reminiscent way
straight into my eyes as of yore. 'As a child you were so delightful.
And then you were so kind to me!'

At that word 'kind' from _her_ to _me_ I could restrain myself no
longer; I shouted with a wild laughter of uncontrollable passion as I
gazed at her through tears of love and admiration and deep
gratitude--gazed till I was blind. My throat throbbed till it ached:
I Could get out no more words; I could only gaze. At my shout
Winifred stood bewildered and confused. She did not understand a mood
like that. Having got myself under control, I said,

'Winifred, it is not my doing; it is Fate's doing that we meet here
on this night, and that I am driven to say here what I had as a
schoolboy sworn should be said whenever we should meet again.'

'I think,' said Winifred, pulling herself up with the dignity of a
queen, 'that if you have anything important to say to me it had
better be at a more seasonable time than at this hour of night, and
at a more seasonable place than on these sands.'

'No, Winifred,' said I, 'the time is _now_, and the place is
here--here on this very spot where, once on a time, you said
"certumly" when a little lover asked your hand. It is now and here,
Winifred, that I will say what I have to say.'