“Oh,” said Alan lightly, and smiling at her inquiring look, “your uncle only asked me to assist him to learn the riddle of the peacock.”
“But how can that be done when the peacock is missing?”
“Your uncle had drawings of the bird,” replied the young man evasively.
“I have never seen them,” declared Marie rather crossly, “and as the peacock belongs to me, I should see them.”
“I will show them to you in a few days,” answered Alan quickly, and made a mental resolve to prepare the drawings himself. And indeed it was necessary that he should have them, since he could not take the actual bird to town, and required something tangible upon which to work. “Don’t you bother your uncle about the matter, Marie, or he may withdraw his permission.”
“What permission?”
“That I should become engaged to you.”
“Oh Alan! oh Alan! oh Alan!” Marie could only gasp and blush.
“That is,” said Fuller correcting himself, “he does not directly sanction an official engagement. But he says that if I solve the problem and find the jewels that he will agree to our marriage. Meanwhile we can be together as often as we like.”
“That is as good as an engagement,” cried Marie, clapping her hands with delight, “how good of Uncle Ran. I love him for this.”