That was very easy to say, but he did disturb her. Then Mrs. Halliday
shooed her out of the kitchen.

"You run right along now; I can attend to things myself."

"I'd like to help, too," said Don.

"Run along--both of you," insisted Mrs. Halliday. "You'd be more
bother than help."

So the two found themselves on the front steps again, and Don
suggested they remain there. The sun was getting low and bathing the
street in a soft light.

"I have something very important to say to you," he began.

"To me?" she exclaimed.

Again there was the expression of astonishment and--something more.

"It's about my getting married," he nodded.

"But I thought that was all settled!"

"It is," he admitted.

"Oh!"

"I think it was settled long before I knew it."

"Then you're to be married right away?"

"I hope so."

"That will be nice."

"It will be wonderful," he exclaimed. "It will be the most wonderful
thing in the world!"

"But why did you come 'way down here?"

"To talk it over with you. You see, a lot depends upon you."

"Me?"

Again that questioning personal pronoun.

"A great deal depends upon you. You are to say when it is to be."

"Mr. Pendleton!"

"I wish you'd remember I'm not in the office of Carter, Rand &
Seagraves now. Can't you call me just Don?"

She did not answer.

"Because," he explained, "I mean to call you Sally."

"You mustn't."

"I mean to call you that all the rest of my life," he went on more
soberly. "Don't you understand how much depends upon you?"

Startled, she glanced up swiftly. What she saw in his eyes made her
catch her breath. He was speaking rapidly now:--

"Everything depends upon you--upon no one else in all the world but
you. I discovered that in less than a day after you left. It's been
like that ever since I met you. I love you, and I've come down here to
marry you--to take you back with me to the house that's all
ready--back to the house you've made ready."

She gave a little cry and covered her face with her hands.

"Don't do that," he pleaded.

[Illustration: "IT'S ABOUT MY GETTING MARRIED"]

She looked as if she were crying.

"Sally--Sally Winthrop, you aren't crying?"

He placed a hand upon her arm.

"Don't touch me!" she sobbed.

"Why shouldn't I touch you?"

"Because--because this is all a horrible mistake."

"I'm trying to correct a horrible mistake," he answered gently.

"No--no--no. You must go back to her--right away."

"To Fran