Her face was colourless and young , very pure and softly curved . She had wonderfully sweet , dark blue eyes , generally dropped down , with notably long black lashes . There were many showier girls in the groups around her , but none half so lovely . She made all the rosy-cheeked beauties seem coarse and over-blown . She left in Paul 's clasp the hand by which he had led her out on the floor . Now and then he shifted his gaze from the faces before him to hers . When he did , she always looked up and they exchanged glances as if they had been utterly alone . Three other couples gradually took the floor and the reel began . Joan drifted through the figures with the grace of a wind-blown leaf . Paul danced with rollicking abandon , seldom taking his eyes from Joan 's face . When the last mad whirl was over , Joan 's brother came up and told her in an angry tone to go into the next room and dance no more , since she would dance with only one man . Joan looked at Paul . That look meant that she would do as he , and none other , told her . Paul nodded easily -- he did not want any fuss just then -- and the girl went obediently into the room . As she turned from him , Paul coolly reached out his hand and took the rose from her hair ; then , with a triumphant glance around the room , he went out . The autumn night was very clear and chill , with a faint , moaning wind blowing up from the northwest over the sea that lay shimmering before the door . Out beyond the cove the boats were nodding and curtsying on the swell , and over the shore fields the great red star of the lighthouse flared out against the silvery sky . Paul , with a whistle , sauntered down the sandy lane , thinking of Joan . How mightily he loved her -- he , Paul King , who had made a mock of so many women and had never loved before ! Ah , and she loved him .
She had never said so XXXXX words , but eyes and tones had said it -- she , Joan Shelley , the pick and pride of the Harbour girls , whom so many men had wooed , winning their trouble for their pains .
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