"Yes. Do you suppose it will surprise him?"

"I--no, I hardly think it will."

"You didn't hint it to him, did you?"

"I said nothing about any marriage, but he knew something of my feeling
for you."

"All the same, I think he'll be surprised. When shall we get the first
post from England telling us the opinion of the dear, kind,
generous-hearted world?"

"Ruby, who cares what any one thinks or says?"

"Men often don't credit us with it, but we women, as a rule, are
horribly sensitive, more sensitive than you can imagine. I--how I wish
that some day your people would try to like me!"

He took one of her hands in his.

"Why shouldn't they? Why shouldn't they? But this winter we'll keep to
ourselves, learn to know each other, learn to trust each other, learn
to--to love each other in the very best and finest way. Ruby, I took
this villa because I thought you would like it, that it would not be so
bad as our first home. But presently I want you to come with me to
Sennoures. When we've had our fortnight's honeymoon here, I'll go off
for a few nights, and look into the work, and arrange something for you.
I'll get a first-rate tent from Cairo. I want you in camp with me. And
it's farther away there, wilder, less civilized; one gets right down to