them. He sprang up and, taking hold of her slender wrists, tried
to draw those hands down. He succeeded at last, and looked
wistfully into her face, quivering with restrained grief.

"Dear, I will do what you like!" he said. "Tell me--what is your
wish?"

She waited a moment, till she had controlled herself a little.

"I thought"--she said, then--"that we might tell Dad just for to-
night that we are engaged--it would make him happy--and perhaps in
a week or two we might get up a quarrel together and break it off--"

Robin smiled.

"Dear little girl!--I'm afraid the plan wouldn't work! He wants
the banns put up on Sunday--and this is Wednesday."

Her brows knitted perplexedly.

"Something can be managed before then," she said. "Robin, I cannot
bear to disappoint him! He's old--and he's so ill too!--it
wouldn't hurt us for one night to say we are engaged!"

"All right!"--and Robin threw back his head and laughed joyously--
"I don't mind! The sensation of even imagining I'm engaged to you
is quite agreeable! For one evening, at least, I can assume a sort
of proprietorship over you! Innocent! I--I--"

He looked so mirthful and mischievous that she smiled, though the