“Before you tell me anything,” she said, “I think we might as well begin to behave like common-sense folks and not stand in the middle of the floor, you with your things on and me with my kitchen apron. Mr. Griffin, take off your things. Sit down, both of you.”
But, although she pulled forward a rocker and an armchair, they did not sit. Esther turned a troubled face to her escort.
“I don’t think we had better, do you, Bob?” she asked. “We mustn’t stay here long. We must get away just as soon as we can.”
Bob nodded emphatic agreement. “You are quite right, Esther,” he replied. “The sooner we get out of Harniss the better.”
Reliance took a step toward them.
“What!” she exclaimed. “What was that? Get out of Harniss? What do you mean? Where are you goin’?” Then, her voice rising, she demanded sharply: “Come, come! What is all this? Esther, tell me this minute!”
Esther involuntarily put out a hand. “Oh, don’t, Aunt Reliance!” she pleaded. “Don’t speak like that. I— Oh, we came to you because you were the one person we could come to, the only one who would understand and—and help. If you knew how I have counted on your help and your sympathy and—oh, everything! Don’t you begin by being angry with me. I—I don’t think I could stand it now.”
Her aunt crossed to her side and put an arm about her. “There, there, dear!” she said, heartily. “Don’t you fret about that. If you can’t count on me I don’t know who you can count on. And I’m not cross, either. I am—well, I’m surprised—and a little scared, perhaps, but I am not cross.... There, there!... Now will you—one of you—please tell me what this means, this goin’ away from Harniss?”
It was Bob who answered. His answer was prompt and to the point.
“I will tell you, Miss Clark,” he said. “Esther and I are going to be married. We have decided that, caring for each other as we do, no one else shall be considered any longer. No one else has the right to be considered. She sent for me this afternoon, telegraphed me to come to my studio and meet her there. She told me that she had decided she could not live with her uncle any longer. She told me that she would marry me and go away with me, to Europe or anywhere else. That was enough, so far as I was concerned. We are leaving Harniss to-night—together. We came to tell you so and to say good-by. That is the whole truth, isn’t it, Esther?” Esther lifted her head from her aunt’s shoulder and stepped back to his side.