It would be quite impossible, if we had the will to attempt it, for us to go through the scene that took place between Johanna Oakley and Mark Ingestrie in the magistrate's parlour. For about half an hour they quite forgot where they were, or that there was any one in the world but themselves. At the end of that period of time, though, Sir Richard Blunt gently walked into the room.
"Well," he said, "have you come to any understanding about that military man in the Temple Gardens?"
Johanna sprang towards the magistrate, and placing her arms upon his breast, she kissed him on the cheek.
"Sir," she said, "you are our very dear friend, and I love you as I love my father."
"God bless you!" said Sir Richard, "You have, by those few words, more then repaid me for all that I have done. Are you happy?"
"Very, very happy."
"So very happy, sir," said Ingestrie, as his eyes glistened through tears of joy, "that I can hardly believe in its reality."
"And yet you are both so poor."
"Ah, sir, what is poverty when we shall be together?"
"We will face that foe, Mark, I think," said Johanna, with a smile, "and he shall not extort a tear from us."