Then he laid his other fat hand on Carr's forehead.
"Is it him or me?" said Gerry, "that you love the most of all the peoples in the world?"
"It's me, Gerry, it's me," suddenly said Adrian Carr; "but you come next, dear little man. Kiss him, Lilias, and tell him that he comes next."
"Gerald's dear little boy," said Lilias. She took him in her arms and pressed her head against his chubby neck.
"Dear, dear little boy," she said. "I think you'll always come second."
She looked so solemn when she spoke, and so beautiful was the light in her eyes when she raised her face to look at Gerry, that even he, most despotic of little mortals, could not but feel satisfied.
He ran away presently to announce to all and everyone within reach that Mr. Carr had kissed Auntie Lil like anything, and the newly-betrothed pair were left alone.
"At last, Lilias," said Carr.
She looked shyly into his face.
"I thought I should never win you," he continued. "I have loved you for years, and I never had courage to tell you so until to-day."