largely. "I tell you, that man
can smell when there's going to be land in the market, if there's
anything to be made out of it. Sort of second smell. Ha! ha!"

Carrie laughed. "Go on! You really _are_ a one, Wilf!" But her
encouraging laughter was a veil to hide her thoughts--the old veil used
a thousand thousand times since life and love began.

"Look here, Carrie," Wilf began again, suddenly serious. "What man has
done, man can do. I didn't mean to tell you yet, but I will." He
lowered his voice, glancing round at the calm immensity of the
moonlight night lest any one should hear him. "If I go on as I am
doing, I shall be worth five thousand pounds before I die."

Carrie clutched his arm, looking into the smooth, boyish face so near
her own, with its young curves and sharpnesses made wistful by the
moonlight. She did not know why, but was suddenly filled with a sort
of aching, protective pity when she heard those words mingling with the
sound of the sea. It was Wilf's youngness and littleness in the face
of that immensity. "Five thousand pounds before I die!" And the sea
beating on the shore just the same----

But out of it all, the only words she found were: "I know you will,
Wilf. You'll do more than that. Look how your governor spoke about
your shorthand last week."

"And that brings me," continued Wilf, growing more and more solemn and
important, "to what I really want to say. I'm going to get the ring
to-morrow, Carrie, so you'd better lend me that old one of your
mother's you have on, for a measure. I aren't going to ask you what
stones you'd like, because I shall get diamonds. A dress ring without
diamonds is nothing, and I mean my wife to have the best."

"Diamonds! Oh, Wilf!" said Carrie. But the first glow of surprise and
pleasure passed almost before it was there. "Wife!" She didn't want
that. She wasn't ready for that. "Don't think of such a thing. We
can't be married for years and years. Besides, I don't want a ring.
It--it hasn't got so far, yet. We have always been friends, but when
it comes to settling down together for life---"

He swung round. "What on earth do you mean?" he demanded. "Are you
keeping a loophole open to throw me over for somebody else?"

"No, no!" she said. "I have never thought of anybody else. I couldn't
imagine myself going with anybody but you. Only I don't want to be
tied yet. I want to feel free a bit longer."

"Is that all?" he said