I smiled, and looked around at the others.
"It is settled," I declared. "We appoint ourselves your guardians. You agree, Mabane?"
"Most heartily," he answered.
"And you, Arthur?"
"Great heavens, yes!" he answered vehemently.
"You are very good," she murmured, "very good to me. All my life I shall remember this."
She held out both her hands. Her eyes were fixed still upon mine. Mabane laid his hand upon her shoulder.
"Dear child," he said, "do not forget that there are three of us. I too am very happy to be one of your guardians."
She gave him the hand which Arthur had seized upon. I think that we had none of us before seen a smile so dazzling as hers.
"Dear friends," she murmured, "I only hope that you will never regret this great, great kindness."