umption that Andrew Daney took matters in his own hands. Father has
not cared to inquire into the matter, anyhow, because he is secretly
grateful to Daney (as he thinks) for disobeying him. Mother and the
girls are forcing Daney to protect them; they are using his loyalty to
the family as a club to keep him in line. With that club they forced
him to come to you with a proposition that must have been repugnant to
him, if for no other reason than that he knew my father would not
countenance it. When you told him you would marry me if I should ask
you again, to whom did Daney report? To Elizabeth, of course--the
brains of the opposition. That proves to me that my father had nothing
to do with it--why the story is as easily understood from deduction as
if I had heard the details from their lips. But I cannot use my
mother's peace of mind as a club to beat dad into line; I cannot tell
him something that will almost make him hate mother and my sisters; I
would not force him to do that which he does not desire to do because
it is the kindly, sensible and humane course. So I shall sit tight and
say nothing--and by the way, I love you more than ever for keeping
this affair from me. So few women are true blue sports, I'm afraid."

"You must be very, very angry and hurt, Donald?"

"I am. So angry and hurt that I desire to be happy within the shortest
possible period of elapsed time. Now, old girl, look right into my
eyes, because I'm going to propose to you for the last time. My
worldly assets consist of about a hundred dollars in cash and a six
dollar wedding ring which I bought as I came through Port Agnew. With
these wordly goods and all the love and honor and respect a man can
possibly have for a woman, I desire to endow you. Answer me quickly.
Yes or no?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"You chatterbox! When?"

"At your pleasure."

"That's trading talk. We'll be married this afternoon." He stretched
out his long arms for her and as she slid off the low hassock and
knelt beside his chair, he gathered her hungrily to him and held her
there for a long time before he spoke again. When he did it was to
say, with an air of wonder that was almost childlike:

"I never knew it was possible for a man to be so utterly wretched and
so tremendously happy and all within the same hour. I love you so much
it hurts." He released her and glanced at his watch. "It is now two
o'clock, Nan. If we leave here by three we can reach the county seat