"Will you not give it to me until the end of life?" he asked earnestly.
She gazed at him a moment in startled surprise—then laughed merrily.
"You said that with delightful promptness, my lord," she exclaimed. "Practice makes one proficient, surely."
A cold light settled in Darby's eyes, and he straightened in the saddle and faced to the front.
"If a man be a gallant once, need that condemn his words to disbelief forever?" he asked… "May not even the most confirmed trifler have, some time, an honest passion?"
"Doubtless, yes," she said, with a shrug of the shapely shoulders… "Only …"
"Only … only what?"
"Only that it is very rare and its proof requires strong demonstration and long service."
"And I am ready to do both," he said eagerly.
"Then, one day, my lord, you will bring great joy to some loving heart," she replied, looking him calmly in the eyes.