lay me down and dee.' Of course
it is all nonsense talking of dying for a woman. What a man has to
do is to live for her. But that is my feeling. I'm ready to give you
my life. If there was anything to do for you, I'd do it if I could,
whatever it was. Do you understand me?"

"Dear Will! Dearest Will!"

"Am I dearest?"

"Are you not sure of it?"

"But I like you to tell me so. I like to feel that you are not
ashamed to own it. You ought to say it a few times to me, as I have
said it so very often to you."

"You'll hear enough of it before you've done with me."

"I shall never have heard enough of it. Oh, Heavens, only think, when
I was coming down in the train last night I was in such a bad way."

"And are you in a good way now?"

"Yes; in a very good way. I shall crow over Mary so when I get home."

"And what has poor Mary done?"

"Never mind."

"I dare say she knows what is good for you better than you know
yourself. I suppose she has told you that you might do a great deal
better than trouble yourself with a wife?"

"Never mind what she has told me. It is settled now;--is it not?"

"I hope so, Will."

"But not quite settled as yet. When shall it be? That is the next
question."

But to that question Clara positively refused to make any reply that
her lover would consider to be satisfactory. He continued to press
her till she was at last driven to remind him how very short a time
it was since her father had been among them; and then he was very
angry with himself, and declared himself to be a brute. "Anything but
that," she said. "You are the kindest and the best of men;--but at
the same time the most impatient."

"That's what Mary says; but what's the good of waiting? She wanted me
to wait to-day."

"And as you would not, you have fallen into a trap out of which you
can never escape. But pray let us go. What will they think of us?"

"I shouldn't wonder if they didn't think something near the truth."

"Whatever they think, we will go back. It is ever so much past nine."

"Before you stir, Clara, tell me one thing. Are you really happy?"

"Very happy."

"And are you glad that this has been done?"

"Very glad. Will that satisfy you?"

"And you do love me?"

"I do--I do--I do. Can I say more than that?"

"More than anybody else in the world?"

"Better than all the world put together."

"Then," said he, holding her tight in his arms, "show me that you
love me." And as he made his reque