ut her; her head nestled securely against his shoulder
and her slim hands were willing prisoners in one of his.

She was saying "Truxton, dear, I did _not_ love Eric Vos Engo. I just
thought it was love. I never really knew what love is until you came
into my life. Then I knew the difference. That's what made it so hard. I
had let him believe that I might care for him some day. And I _did_ like
him. So I--"

"You are sure--terribly sure--that I am the only man you ever really
loved?" he interrupted.

She snuggled closer. "Haven't I just told you that I didn't know what it
was until--well, until now?"

"You will never, never know how happy I am, Loraine!" he breathed into
her ear.

"I hope I shall always bring happiness to you, Truxton," she murmured,
faint with the joy of loving.

"You will make me very unhappy if you don't marry me to-morrow."

"I couldn't think of it!"

"I don't ask you to think. If you do, you may change your mind
completely. Just marry me without thinking, dearest."

"I will marry you, Truxton, when we get to New York," she said, but not
very firmly. He saw his advantage.

"But, my dear, I'm tired of travelling."

It was rather enigmatic. "What has that to do with it?" she asked.

"Well, it's this way: if we get married in New York we'll have to
consider an extended and wholly obligatory wedding journey. If we get
married here, we can save all that bother by bridal-tripping to New
York, instead of away from it. And, what's more, we'll escape the
rice-throwing and the old shoes and the hand-painted trunk labels.
Greater still: we will avoid a long and lonely trip across the ocean on
separate steamers. That's something, you know."

"We _could_ go on the same steamer."

"Quite so, my dear. But don't you think it would be nicer if we went as
one instead of two?"

"I suppose it would be cheaper."

"They say a fellow saves money by getting married."

"I hate a man who is always trying to save money."

"Well, if you put it that way, I'll promise never to save a cent. I'm a
horrible spendthrift."

"Oh, you'll have to save, Truxton!"

"How silly we are!" he cried in utter joyousness. He held her close for
a long time, his face buried in her hair. "Listen, darling: won't you
say you'll be my wife before I leave Graustark? I want you so much. I
can't go away without you."

She hesitated. "When are you going, Truxton? You--you haven't told me."

It was what he wanted. "I am going ne