Still he
would scarcely dare, with all his impudence, to try to force a way in
here. You would have been quite safe, had you staid downstairs."
The good lady could not understand why, in spite of this reassurance,
Desire should thereafter persist, as she did, in retiring to her own
room whenever Hamlin came into the store. As the better informed
reader will infer from this fact the girl's infatuation was on the
increase. She had become quite shameless and hardened about using her
point of espionage to see, without being seen, the lover who so
occupied her thoughts. The only events of the slow, dull days for her
were now his visits to the store. She no longer started back when, in
going, his eager glance rose to her window, but panting, yet secure
behind her covert, looked into his eyes and scanned his expression.
Sometimes a quick rush of tears would rob her of her vision as she
read in the sad hunger of those eyes how he longed for a glimpse of
her face. But for very shame's sake she would have pulled the curtains
up. It was so unfair of her, she thought self-reproachfully, to sate
her own eyes while cheating his. She knew well enough that all which
brought him to the store so often was the hope of seeing and speaking
with her.
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