Kilmeny of the Orchard 
     
    
   
   
    
     “ Have you ever loved? ” asked Kil- 
     
     meny, with the directness of phrasing 
     
     necessitated by her mode of communica- 
     
     tion which was sometimes a little terrible. 
     
     She asked the question simply and with- 
     
     out‘ any embarrassment. She knew of no 
     
     reason why love might not be discussed 
     
     with Eric as other matters—music and 
     
     books and travel—might be. 
     
    

    
     “ No,” said Eric—honestly, as he 
     
     thought, “ but every one has an ideal of 
     
     love whom he hopes to meet some day— 
     
     ‘ the ideal woman of a young man’s 
     
     dream.’ I suppose I have mine, in some 
     
     sealed, secret chamber of my heart.” 
     
    

    
     “ I suppose your ideal woman would be 
     
     beautiful, like the woman in your book? ” 
     
    

    
     “ Oh, yes, I am sure I could never care 
     
     for an ugly woman,” said Eric, laughing 
     
     a little as he sat up. “ Our ideals are al— 
     
     ways beautiful, whether they so translate 
     
     themselves into realities or not. But the 
     
     sun is going down. Time does certainly 
     
     fly in this enchanted orchard. I believe 
     
    

    
     122