"First let me take the tea-things away, Cardo."
"No, no, bother the tea-things; let them be for a while, Valmai. I forbid your carrying them away at present, and, you know, you have promised to obey."
"Yes, indeed, and to love you, and no one ever did love anybody as much as I love you. Oh, I am sure of it. No, indeed, Cardo. Not more, whatever, but you know, you know," and her head drooped low, so that he had to raise her chin to look into her face.
"I know what? I know you are my wife, and no earthly power can separate us now. Where is your ring, dearest? It should be on this little finger."
"No, it is here," and Valmai pressed her hand on her neck; "you know I was to wear it here instead of on my finger until next year."
"Until I came back, darling; and until I took it off myself and placed it on your finger. Come, wifie, where is it?"
Valmai allowed herself to be persuaded, and Cardo, undoing the white satin ribbon, drew off the ring, and placed it on her finger. She looked at it thoughtfully.
"Am I, then, really your wife, Cardo?"
"Really and truly, Valmai; signed, sealed, and delivered," he said; "and let me see the man who dares to come between us!" and his black eyes flashed with a look of angry defiance which Valmai had not seen there before.
"Oh, anwl! I hope your eyes will never look like that at me," she said.