'Yes.'

'Oh, naughty Polly! I must punish you,' Rose apostrophized her. 'You
might have divided us for ever. Well, we shall have to fight a battle,
you understand that. Will you stand by me?'

Would he not risk his soul for her?

'Very well, Evan. Then--but don't be sensitive. Oh, how sensitive you
are! I see it all now. This is what we shall have to do. We shall have
to speak to Mama to-day--this morning. Drummond has told me he is going
to speak to her, and we must be first. That 's decided. I begged a
couple of hours. You must not be offended with Drummond. He does it out
of pure affection for us, and I can see he's right--or, at least, not
quite wrong. He ought, I think, to know that he cannot change me. Very
well, we shall win Mama by what we do. My mother has ten times my wits,
and yet I manage her like a feather. I have only to be honest and
straightforward. Then Mama will gain over Papa. Papa, of course, won't
like it. He's quiet and easy, but he likes blood, but he also likes
peace better; and I think he loves Rosey--as well as somebody--almost?
Look, dear, there is our seat where we--where you would rob me of my
handkerchief. I can't talk any more.'

Rose had suddenly fallen from her prattle, soft and short-breathed.

'Then, dear,' she went on, 'we shall have to fight the family. Aunt
Shorne will be terrible. My poor uncles! I pity them. But they will
come round. They always have thought what I did was right, and why
should they change their minds now? I shall tell them that at their time