would not have him if I
loved him not, but I would marry a poor cripple if I loved him. It wasn't
because you owned Five-Bob Downs that I liked you, but because you have a
big heart in which one would have room to get warm, and because you are
true, and because you are kind and big and--" Here I could feel my voice
getting shaky, and being afraid I would make a fool of myself by crying,
I left off.

"Syb, I will try and fix matters up a bit, and will claim you in that
time if I have a home."

"Claim me, home or not, if you are so disposed, but I will make this
condition. Do not tell anyone we are engaged, and remember you are
perfectly free. If you see a woman you like more than me, promise me on
your sacred word that you will have none of those idiotic unjust ideas of
keeping true to me. Promise."

"Yes, I will promise," he said easily, thinking then, no doubt, as many a
one before him has thought, that he would never be called upon to fulfil
his word.

"I will promise in return that I will not look at another man in a
matrimonial way until the four years are up, so you need not he jealous
and worry yourself; for, Hal, you can trust me, can you not?"

Taking my hand in his and looking at me with a world of love in his eyes,
which moved me in spite of myself, he said:

"I could trust you in every way to the end of the world."

"Thank you, Harold. What we have said is agreed upon--that is, of course,
as things appear now: if anything turns up to disturb this arrangement it
is not irrevocable in the least degree, and we can lay out more suitable
plans. Four years will not be long, and I will be more sensible at the
end of that time--that is, of course, if I ever have any sense. We will
not write or have any communication, so you will be perfectly free if you
see anyone you like better than me to go in and win. Do you agree?"

"Certainly; any little thing like that you can settle according to your
fancy. I'm set up as long as I get you one way or another, that's all I
want. It was a bit tough being cleared out from all the old ways, but if
I have you to stand by me it will be a great start. Say what you said
last Sunday. again. Syb, say you will be my wife."

I had expected him to put it in that way, and believing in doing all or
nothing, had laid out that I would put my hand in his and promise what he
asked. But now the word wife finished me up. I was very fond of
Harold--fond to such an extent that had I a fort