at the boat maybe by now waiting for me, and none of them wanting to go
except me. For a whole year I had to beg them for this, Irving. They
wouldn't be going now if it wasn't for me. I--Irving, you must be
crazy!"

He leaned closer and out of range of the waiter, his voice repressed to
a tight whisper.

"None of those things count when a girl and a fellow fall in love like
you and me, Miriam."

Even in her crisis her diffidence inclosed her like a sheath. "I never
said I--I was in love, did I?"

"But you are! They'll go over there, Miriam, without you and have the
time of their lives. We'll stay home and keep the flat open for them so
your mother won't have to worry any more about burglars. After the
first surprise it won't be a trick at all. We got two hours and fifteen
minutes, dearie, and we can do the act and be down at the boat with
bells on to tell 'em good-by. Now ain't the time to think about the
little things and waste time, Miriam. We got to do it now or off you
go hiking, just like--like we had never met, a whole ocean between us,
Miriam!"

"Irving, you--you mustn't."

She pushed back from the table. He paid his check with a hand that
trembled, resuming, even as he crammed his bill-folder into a rear
pocket: