And then Dugald Shaw took me in his arms.
By and by he said huskily:
"Beloved, I had no right to ask you to share such a life as mine must be—the life of a poor sailor."
At this I raised my head from its nestling-place and laughed.
"Ask me? Silly, I asked you! Of course you could have refused me, but I depended on your not having the courage."
"And indeed that is a charge I'll not allow—that I am so little of a man as to let my courting be done for me. No, no, it was my love compelling you that made you speak the words you did—the love of a selfish man who should have thought only of shielding you from the hardships of such a wandering, homeless life as mine."
"Well, Heaven reward you for your selfishness," I said earnestly. "I am thankful you were not so noble as to let me throw myself at your head in vain. I have been doing it for ever so long, in fact, but it is such a thick Scotch head that I dare say I made no impression."
"Sweet imp! You'll pay for that—oh, Virginia, if I had only something to offer you!"
"You can offer me something that I want very much, if you will, and at no cost but to your strong right arm."
"It is an arm which is at your service for life—but what am I to do with it now? And indeed I think it is very well employed at this moment."