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ts (you'll excuse me, I feel sure): but give him time, I say-- give him time, and he'll come round right and tight." "My father is not with me. Oh, Mr. Romley, you have heard, surely? I was told--but there, you have the licence." "The licence! What licence?" He stared at her. Her heart sank. Here was some horrible mistake. She bethought herself of his careless habits, which indeed were notorious enough in and about Wroote and Epworth. "It must be among your letters--have you neglected them lately? Ah, think--think, my friend: for to me this means all the world." "Upon my word of honour, Miss Hetty, I don't understand one word you're saying. Come, let us have it clear. What brings you to Lincoln? The Rector is not with you. Who, then?" "We came here last night--early this morning, rather--" "'We'?" "I have left home. You know what we intended? But my father locked me up. I had tried to be open with him, and he would listen to nothing. So--as everything was ready--and you here with the licence--" John Romley stepped back a pace. It is doubtful if he heard the last words. His eyes were round in his head. "You are here--with--_him_!" He gasped it in an incredulous whisper. For a moment in her earnestness she met his stare. Then her hands went up to her face. "You? You?" he repeated slowly. His eyes shrank from her face and wandered helplessly over the smoke, over the red roofs of the town below them. "But we came to get married!" She plucked her hands away from her face and stepped close to him, forcing his reluctant eyes to meet hers. Her cheeks flamed: he groaned at the sight of her beauty. "But we came to get married! John, there is nothing--surely nothing?--that with your help cannot be set right? Ah, I forget--by marrying us you will offend father, and you find now that you want this favour of him. John, it cannot be _that_--you cannot be playing so cruel a trick for _that_--and after your promise? Forgive me if I am selfish: but think what I am fighting for!" "It will cost me the precentorship," answered he slowly, "but I hadn't given a thought to that." "It shall cost you nothing of the kind. After all, father is juster to others than to me. I will write--we will both write: I will tell him what you risked to save his daughter. Or, stay: any clergyman will do, will he not? We need only the licence. You shall risk nothing: give me only the licence and I will
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