“Great scheme, this marryin', Kid! And you believe in it exactly as I do, don't you?”
“How do you mean?” she faltered.
“That it binds and holds both our lives as only Almighty God can bind and hold?”
“Yes—nothing else IS marriage.”
“That's what I say, too!”
He placed his hands on her shoulders.
“Great scheme!” he repeated. “I get a pretty girl to work for me for nothing for the balance of my life.” He paused and lifted the slender forefinger of his right hand. “And you pledged your pious soul—I memorized the words, every one of them: `I, Mary, take thee, James, to my wedded husband—TO HAVE AND TO HOLD from this day forward, FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish AND OBEY, TIL DEATH DO US PART, ACCORDING TO GOD'S HOLY ORDINANCE; AND THEREUNTO I GIVE THEE MY TROTH——'”
He paused, lifted his head and smiled grimly: “That's some promise, believe me, Kiddo! `AND OBEY'—you meant it all, didn't you?”
She would have hedged lightly over that ugly old word which still survived in the ceremony Craddock had used, but for the sinister suggestion in his voice back of the playful banter. He had asked it half in jest, half in earnest. She had caught by the subtle sixth sense the tragic idea in that one word that he was going to hold her to it. The thought was too absurd!
“OBEY—you meant it, didn't you?” he repeated grimly.