to think you were the first to
mention this. You meant to be, and that's the same thing. I heard it
this morning: you wrote it last night. It's you I love, Evan. Your
birth, and what you were obliged to do--that's nothing. Of course
I'm sorry for it, dear. But I'm more sorry for the pain I must have
sometimes put you to. It happened through my mother's father being a
merchant; and that side of the family the men and women are quite
sordid and unendurable; and that's how it came that I spoke of disliking
tradesmen. I little thought I should ever love one sprung from that
class.'

She turned to him tenderly.

'And in spite of what my birth is, you love me, Rose?'

'There's no spite in it, Evan. I do.'

Hard for him, while his heart was melting to caress her, the thought
that he had snared this bird of heaven in a net! Rose gave him no time
for reflection, or the moony imagining of their raptures lovers love to
dwell upon.

'You gave the letter to Polly, of course?'

'Yes.'

'Oh, naughty Polly! I must punish you,' Rose apostrophized her. 'You
might have divided us for ever. Well, we shall have to fight a battle,
you understand that. Will you stand by me?'

Would he not risk his soul for her?

'Very well, Evan. Then--but don't be sensitive. Oh, how sensitive you
are! I see it all now. This is what we shall have to do. We shall have
to speak to Mama to-day--this morning. Drummond has told me he is going
to speak to her, and we must be first. That 's decided. I begged a
couple of hours. You must not be offended with Drummond. He does it out
of pure affection for us, and I can see he's right--or, at least, not
quite wrong. He ought, I think, to know that he cannot change me. Very
well, we shall win Mama by what we do. My mother has ten times my
wits, and yet I manage her like a feather. I have only to be honest and
straightforward. Then Mama will gain over Papa. Papa, of course, won't
like it. He's quiet and easy, but he likes blood, but he also likes
peace better; and I think he loves Rosey--as well as somebody--almost?
Look, dear, there is our seat where we--where you would rob me of my
handkerchief. I can't talk any more.'

Rose had suddenly fallen from her prattle, soft and short-breathed.

'Then, dear,' she went on, 'we shall have to fight the family. Aunt
Shorne will be terrible. My poor uncles! I pity them. But they will come
round. They always have thought what I did was right, and why should
they change