"Kiss her!" exclaimed Rachel, finding her voice, and throwing her arms round Marion's neck; "I thought I loved her before, but now I shall fairly worship her! I never was so happy in my life!"
"Nor I either," whispered Marion, very softly.
"But I don't understand it," cried Rachel, still in a state of bewilderment. "I never thought of such a thing. I thought you didn't like Marion at all, Uncle Robert."
"I know it, my dear, and she thought the same; but I have satisfied her to the contrary, and I guess I can you."
"Ah! Uncle Robert," said Rachel, archly, "I guess I shan't have the handsomest diamond-ring at Bigelow's; I suppose Marion has that."
"No, she has not," replied the doctor, lifting Marion's left hand, on which Rachel could see in the moonlight a heavy, plain, gold ring.
"What!—not diamonds?"
"No," replied the doctor, as he held the hand in both his own; "my wife shall have all the diamonds she wants, but this ring must be plain gold."
"Are you satisfied, Marion?" asked Rachel.
Marion gave a quick glance up at the doctor, then looked at Rachel, as she answered, "Perfectly."