"And she has accepted?"
"No; not as yet. She is to take three months to think of it. Of course I love her best of all. If you will sympathise with me in that, then I will be as happy with you as the day is long."
"No," said she, "I cannot. I will not."
"Very well."
"There should be no such marriage. If you have told me in confidence—"
"Of course I have told you in confidence."
"It will go no farther; but there can be no sympathy between us. It—it—it is not,—is not—" Then she burst into tears.
"Mabel!"
"No, sir, no; no! What did you mean? But never mind. I have no questions to ask, not a word to say. Why should I? Only this,—that such a marriage will disgrace your family. To me it is no more than to anybody else. But it will disgrace your family."
How she got back to the house she hardly knew; nor did he. That evening they did not again speak to each other, and on the following morning there was no walk to the mountains. Before dinner he drove himself back to Crummie-Toddie, and when he was taking his leave she shook hands with him with her usual pleasant smile.