“What does that mean?”
“I can’t imagine any one, Philip, as fine as you are, and in spite of all the common sense I’ve tried to bring to bear upon the subject, thinking that perhaps you did not care for me anyhow, and that Father and Mother would say I couldn’t be married for a long, long time—some way——” Lilian hesitated and blushed, while Philip leaned toward her in anxious anticipation. “Please don’t stop,” he urged whimsically.
“Well, Philip,” Lilian continued soberly, “we seem to belong to each other, just naturally. And I will confess, too, that the best thing about this vacation was that I should see you again!”
“Lilian!” exclaimed Philip again. They were talking in undertones, while playing with their fast melting ice-cream, for the room was warm, if it was winter outside. “I had no idea that I was going to be made so happy this first night of your coming. I thought perhaps I could persuade you, if I tried hard enough! Indeed, I have had the feeling that we belonged to each other, but I scarcely hoped that it might be mutual. Will you have something else?” The waiter was approaching again.
“Nothing more,” said Lilian.
“I’ve something to show you when we get in the car,” said Philip, as with grace he ushered out his lady love. “Oh—I believe I’ll wait till we get home. There is too much to say. You are the most wonderful girl not to keep me worrying all week.”
“When you love people, you don’t want them to be unhappy,” said Lilian.
When they reached the apartment house again and the car was drawn up to the curb, Philip reached in his pocket, drew out a little package and slowly opened it. He took out something, while Lilian gasped in astonishment. “You will think me rather assured of the final outcome, I am afraid, but I wanted to persuade myself that it would be all right, you see. I went into Tiffany’s yesterday. Now the hand, Lilian.”
CHAPTER XIII
THE RING
When Lilian entered the apartment at the hall door, she peeped into the front room and saw her father working at his desk. Her mother had evidently retired. She knew better than to disturb her father when he was working on a case. He would be patient, but it was a real interruption at such times. She only tapped gently on the door, saying, “Good-night, Father, I’m in,” and waited till he turned his head, nodded and smiled, and turned again to his work. “I’m afraid he will forget, as he does sometimes, and then Mother will wake up and ask him if I’m in. I believe I’ll leave my wraps inside the door—there. If anybody does any prowling around, they’ll see my wraps.” With which ungrammatical remark, Miss North retired to her room, but not to sleep—yet. She had been so engrossed in the words and presence of her lover that she had not yet half looked at the ring, though she had seen that it was beautiful. Turning on her light, she held up her hand with the flashing gem upon it. “Oh, you dear Philip boy,” she said, “to get that exquisite thing for me!” But Lilian was big enough to value more than the clear diamond the sincere love of the giver, and slipped into her warm nest under the blankets to lie awake a long time, and go over the new, sweet story that Philip had told her once and again. Her little prayer was one of gratitude and her last thought was, “I shall see Philip tomorrow.”