"Don't speak of that time any more," Nell pleaded. "It seems now like a terrible dream. Oh, how that man followed me, and tried to get me in his power."
"But Ben is gone now, darling, and can trouble you no more. It is not likely that he will ever come back to this place. He has been taught a severe lesson, and I trust it will do him good."
"Oh, I hope so," and a tremor shook Nell's body. "I want to forget him and those awful days that are past."
"And you must forget, Nell, in the joy of the present. Oh, I can hardly believe it is true that you love me. I was almost frightened out of my wits lest you should refuse me."
"You acted like it, didn't you?" Nell bantered, turning her happy face to his. "Why, you swept down upon me like a cyclone, and had me in your arms before I could utter a word of protest."
"I was afraid, darling; that was the reason. You see, I knew what a shock I gave you when I bounced into the vestry. And then all through the service I was watching you, and noticed how agitated you were. I wanted to speak to you at once when the service was over, but, no, I was captured by the whole congregation and when at last I was able to look around, you were nowhere to be seen. Suspecting that you might be here, I hurried over as fast as I could, and when I beheld you standing by this tree looking a thousand times more lovely than ever, I lost my head completely, and, oh, you know the rest. It was all your fault, darling, and so don't blame me. If you will persist in being so charming, you must put up with the result."
"But was that really the whole reason?" Nell asked. "Wasn't there something else? You said you were afraid, did you not?"
"Now you are cornering me," Douglas laughed. "Yes, I confess I was afraid of the questions you might ask about my strange behaviour in coming to Rixton in disguise. I felt that you were offended, and so great was my love, I was in no mood to have parts of the Catechism hurled at me. Just imagine my standing before you like a child, and being asked, 'What is your name?' and meekly answering, 'Douglas Stanton, ma'm.' Then, 'Who gave you this name?' and I would say that my godfathers and godmothers gave it to me in my baptism. And you would ask me, 'Why are you so ashamed of your name that you take another?' Now, as that is not in the Catechism, it would have been more difficult for me to answer, and so I would have blundered and stumbled and made such a fool of myself that you would have despised me. No, I could not endure that, and so I acted with audacious boldness. You are not sorry, are you?"
"No, I am glad now, although it was a terrible shock to me at first. I had no idea that you loved me so much. Isn't it wonderful!"
"I loved you ever since I first saw you, Nell," and Douglas drew her closer to him. "And I shall love you always. Nothing can separate us now."