“Should you, Joe?” she asked simply.
Stumblingly, humbly he told her, and she listened, nestling in his arms as one who has found her own place. And so, when bluff old William Crooks came home, he found them sitting in the twilight, planning wonderful things. Joe put the situation simply.
“Jack has consented to marry me, sir.”
William Crooks stared at him and then at his daughter.
“Fact, dad,” she confirmed.
“Well, I’ll be—” began Crooks out of his unbounded astonishment.
She put her hand over his lips. “I hope not, dad.”
“Well, you take a man unawares,” growled Crooks. “How long has this been going on?”
“About two hours, I think,” said Joe happily.
“Oh,” said Crooks; “I was afraid you had been holding out on me. You’re sure about this, I suppose?”