"I know," she said; "Rufus went to meet the beautiful lady. He wanted her to come and live with him as his wife, and he wasn't certain whether she would or not."
"Oh, Charity, you're too sharp altogether!" The Pirate leant back in his chair and laughed.
"Did she say yes?" Hope asked.
"She did," the Pirate said; "she saw how unhappy poor Rufus would be without her. And the next day he went back to her and gave her the ring."
"Was the jewel a ring? Oh, how exciting! And did they marry and live happy ever after?"
"That takes time in the doing," said the Pirate, with twinkling eyes, "but of course that will come to pass."
"And what was the ring like?" asked Hope.
"Ask your Aunt Alice!"
Aunt Alice turned and held up her left hand in the firelight. There upon her third finger sparkled a diamond ring!
And then the little girls gave screams of astonishment and joy.