“The rope enough to hang yourself?”
She suddenly reached up and pulled a hair from her head. She laid it in his hand-a long brown silken thread. “Hume,” she said airily yet gently, “there is the rope. Can you love me for a month of Sundays?”
“Yes, for ever and a day!”
“I will cancel the day, and take your bond for the rest. I will be generous. I will marry you in two months-and a day.”
“My dearest girl!”—he drew her hand into both of his—“I can’t have you more generous than myself, I’ll throw off the month.” But his eyes were shining very seriously, though his mouth smiled.
“Two months and a day,” she repeated.
“We must all bundle off to Greyhope to-morrow,” came General Armour’s voice across the room. “Down comes the baby, cradle and all.”
Lali rose. “I am very tired,” she said; “I think I will say good-night.”
“I’ll go and see the boy with you,” Frank said, rising also.
Lali turned towards Marion. Marion’s face was flushed, and had a sweet, happy confusion. With a low, trembling good-night to Captain Vidall, a hurried kiss on her mother’s cheek, and a tip-toed caress on her father’s head, she ran and linked her arm in Lali’s, and together they proceeded to the child’s room. Richard was there when they arrived, mending a broken toy. Two hours later, the brothers parted at Frank’s door.