and observing her inimically? He walked back to her, sat
down, and said calmly:

"Listen to me, darling. Suppose we arrange now, definitely, to get
married in two years' time. How will that do for you?"

"But, George, can you be sure that you'll be able to marry in two
years?"

He put his chin forward.

"You needn't worry about that," said he. "You needn't think because I've
failed in an exam. I don't know what I'm about. You leave all that to
me. In two years I shall be able enough to keep a wife--_and_ well! Now,
shall we arrange to get married in two years' time?"

"It might be a fearful drag for you," she said. "Because, you know, I
don't really earn very much."

"That's not the point. I don't care what you earn. I shan't want you to
earn anything--so far as that goes. Any earning that's wanted I shall be
prepared to do. I'll put it like this: Supposing I'm in a position to
keep you, shall we arrange to get married in two years' time?" He found
a fierce pleasure in reiterating the phrase. "So long as that's
understood, I don't mind the rest. If we have to depend on Agg, or meet
in the streets--never mind. It'll be an infernal nuisance, but I expect
I can stand it as well as you can. Moreover, I quite see your
difficulty--quite. And let's hope the old gentleman will begin to have a
little sense."

"Oh, George! If he only would!"

He did not like her habit of "Oh, George! Oh! George!"

"Well?" He waited, ignoring her pious aspiration.

"I don't know what to say, George."

He restrained himself.

"We're engaged, aren't we?" She gave no answer, and he repeated: "We're
engaged, aren't we?"

"Yes."

"That's all right. Well, will you give me your absolute promise to marry
me in two years' time--if I'm in a position to keep you? It's quite
simple. You say you don't know what to say. But you've got to know what
to say." As he looked at her averted face, his calmness began to leave
him.

"Oh, George! I can't promise that!" she burst out, showing at length her
emotion. The observant skipper on the bridge noted that there were a boy
and a girl forward having a bit of a tiff.

George trembled. All that Agg had said recurred to him once more. But
what could he do to act on it? Anger was gaining, on him.

"Why not?" he menaced.

"It would have to depend on how father was. Surely you must see that!"

"Indeed I don't see it. I see quite the contrary. We're engaged. You've
got the first call on me, and I've