Florence rose and laid her hands in his.
"Then it's fortunate that a change is not impossible to me—in fact, I think I've changed a good deal already. It rather hurt me, Elcot, that you didn't seem to notice it."
The man stooped and kissed her.
"I noticed it," he said; "but I was almost afraid."
"Afraid it wouldn't last?" Florence reproached him. "Well, I suppose that is not so very astonishing—but I think this change will go on, and grow greater steadily. Anyway, I want it to."
Then she drew away from him.
"You're rather a reserved person, Elcot, and it will no doubt be a relief to you if we become severely practical. Besides, I want to show you how determined I am. Now that you have paid off my debts, we'll get out the account-books, and you shall decide how I'm to carry on the homestead."
Hunter laughed.
"No accounts to-night. It's beginning to strike me that both of us might have been happier if I hadn't thought about them so much. After all, I dare say it isn't wise to give economic questions the foremost place."
"Ah!" exclaimed Florence, "it's a pity it has taken you so long to learn that truth. I suppose I'm fond of money—at least, I'm fond of the things I used to fancy it could buy, but by degrees I found out that it can't buy those that are really worth the most. Now it almost looks as if I could get them at home—without any cost."