that matters to us is within our grasp? We love each other, and - "

Her glance fell away, her lip trembled, and her smile at last took
flight. He caught her hands, holding them in a grip that hurt her;
he bent his head, and his eyes sought her own, but sought in vain.

"Have you considered - " he was beginning, when she interrupted him.
Her face flushed upward, surrendering to that questing glance of
his, and its expression was now between tears and laughter.

"You will be for ever considering, Ned. You consider too much,
where the issues are plain and simple. For the last time - will
you marry me?"

The subtlety he had employed had been greater than he knew, and it
had achieved something beyond his utmost hopes.

He murmured incoherently and took her to his arms. I really do not
see that he could have done anything else. It was a plain and
simple issue, and she herself had protested that the issue was
plain and simple.

And then the door opened abruptly and Sir Terence came in. Nor did
he discreetly withdraw as a man of feeling should have done before
the intimate and touching spectacle that met his eyes. On the
contrary, he remained like the infernal marplot that he intended
to be.

"Very proper," he sneered. "Very fit and proper that he should
put right in the eyes of the world the reputation you have damaged