"Don't you begin that silliness. I'm sure you don't mean a word of it, Ned."
"If you could see my heart, Cora, you'd see only one name there—I swear it."
"What about t'other names—all rubbed out, I suppose?"
"They never were there. All the other girls were ghosts beside you. Not one of them——"
Suddenly near at hand the church bells began to throb and tremble upon the peace of moonlit night.
"Mark's out of the way then," said Ned. "Not that I'm afraid of him, or any other man. You're too good for Mark, Cora—a million times too good for him. I'm bound to tell you so."
"I'm sick of him and his bell-ringing," she said violently.
"Hullo! That's strong," he exclaimed.
"So would any maiden be. He puts tenor bell afore me. 'Tis more to him than ever I was. In a word, I've done with the man!"
"You splendid, plucky creature! 'Twas bound to come. Such a spirit as yours never could have brooked a worm like him! You're free then?"