He realized that Susan was there to stay as long as he did , and it was a three mile walk to Martin West 's over-harbour . He wondered if Rilla had put Susan up to this , not wanting to be left alone with him , lest he say something Fred Arnold 's sweetheart did not want to hear . Rilla got up , too , and walked silently the length of the veranda with him . They stood there for a moment , Ken on the lower step . The step was half sunk into the earth and mint grew thickly about and over its edge . Often crushed by so many passing feet it gave out its essence freely , and the spicy odour hung round them like a soundless , invisible benediction . Ken looked up at Rilla , whose hair was shining in the moonlight and whose eyes were pools of allurement . All at once he felt sure there was nothing in that gossip about Fred Arnold . `` Rilla , '' he said in a sudden , intense whisper , `` you are the sweetest thing . '' Rilla flushed and looked at Susan . Ken looked , too , and saw that Susan 's back was turned . He put his arm about Rilla and kissed her . It was the first time Rilla had ever been kissed . She thought perhaps she ought to resent it but she did n't . Instead , she glanced timidly into Kenneth 's seeking eyes and her glance was a kiss . `` Rilla-my-Rilla , '' said Ken , `` will you promise that you wo n't let anyone else kiss you until I come back ? '' `` Yes , '' said Rilla , trembling and thrilling . Susan was turning round . Ken loosened his hold and stepped to the walk . `` Good-bye , '' he said casually .
XXXXX heard herself saying it just as casually .
Arnold Ken Kenneth Rilla Rilla-my-Rilla Susan West left odour over-harbour