“Please label this,” George directed the attention of the porter to the tin trunk. “Waterloo or Paddington?” he inquired of its owner.
Then came surprise the First.
“I think it had better be put in the cloak room,” said Miss Cass. “And these, I think, had better go with it.” She indicated the pilgrim basket and another miscellaneous article ranged beside it. “I am not going by this train,” she added quite casually.
The heart of George Norris gave a leap.
“So much the better.” And the young man spoke with the simplicity which made him so attractive.
With quite a sense of relief he saw the luggage of Miss Cass stowed away in the cloak room. And then, like a man of will who has just been confirmed in a great decision, he addressed that lady. “I don’t know what your plans are,” he said, “but if I may, I would like to have a little talk with you.”
The only answer of Miss Cass was a smile. But she made no difficulties about having a talk with General Norris. As intending passengers were now rapidly assembling for the Up train, they crossed the bridge to the deserted Down platform. No one else was there. They took one brief turn and then sat down on a wooden bench thoughtfully provided by the railway company.
This the hour and this the opportunity. There was no beating about the bush. George knew his own mind and proceeded to ensue it. “Ethel,” he said, taking one small gloved hand in his own, “will you marry me?”
It was by no means an easy fence to tackle, but George’s methods were decidedly workmanlike. “There’s only my pay, but I’ve just been offered a good billet in East Africa. The climate is first rate, there’s any amount of things to do and one can live at much less cost than one does here. Of course, there’s no saying exactly how it will pan out, but anyhow, will you chance it?”
It took Miss Cass but a very short time to express her willingness “to chance it.” She too, it seemed, had the valuable faculty of knowing her own mind. Not in anywise immodestly did she rush upon her fate; she was able to display the conventional diffidence of one fully acquainted with the rules of the game, but it was not difficult to set the doubts of George Norris at rest. From the moment he had climbed into the back of the cart she had known that he was hers.