As she drew near I gazed at her with pride , and admiration and amazement -- and , under it all , a strange , dreadful , heart-sinking , which I could not understand and which I had never in all my life experienced before -- no , not even when Sara had refused me . Betty was a woman ! Not by virtue of the simple white dress that clung to her tall , slender figure , revealing lines of exquisite grace and litheness ; not by virtue of the glossy masses of dark brown hair heaped high on her head and held there in wonderful shining coils ; not by virtue of added softness of curve and daintiness of outline ; not because of all these , but because of the dream and wonder and seeking in her eyes . She was a woman , looking , all unconscious of her quest , for love . The understanding of the change in her came home to me with a shock that must have left me , I think , something white about the lips . I was glad . She was what I had wished her to become . But I wanted the child Betty back ; this womanly Betty seemed far away from me . I stepped out into the path and she saw me , with a brightening of her whole face . She did not rush forward and fling herself into my arms as she would have done a year ago ; but she came towards me swiftly , holding out her hand . I had thought her slightly pale when I had first seen her ; but now I concluded I had been mistaken , for there was a wonderful sunrise of color in her face . I took her hand -- there were no kisses this time . `` Welcome home , Betty , '' I said . `` Oh , Stephen , it is so good to be back , '' she breathed , her eyes shining . She did not say it was good to see me again , as I had hoped she would do . Indeed , after the first minute of greeting , she seemed a trifle cool and distant . We walked for an hour in the pine wood and talked . Betty was brilliant , witty , self-possessed , altogether charming . I thought her perfect and yet my heart ached . What a glorious young thing she was , in that splendid youth of hers !
What a prize XXXXX some lucky man -- confound the obtrusive thought !
about ago as at for in into of to with