"But who will do the explaining to the station at large?"
"Desmond and his wife will gladly do that much for us." He was about to add that his chief friend knew already: but decided that it would be hardly fair on Dick to 'give him away.'
"And where did it all happen?" she demanded, dimpling with enjoyment.
"In Dalhousie?"
"I imagine so."
"You mustn't imagine. We must have all the details clear, so as to lie consistently!"
"Well then, to account for our abruptness, we'll decide that I lost my heart to you at home, some time ago; and rediscovered you by chance in Dalhousie."
She laughed again, from pure exuberance of happiness.
"That's capital! I'll explain it all to Mrs Desmond; and she shall do the rest."
While they talked, she had succeeded in extricating her rings; and now she dropped them into his open palm:—the gold band of Destiny, and the hoop of sapphires and diamonds that he had chosen with such elaborate care, and presented to her with such awkward, palpitating shyness nearly six years ago.
"Put them on, please," she said softly, thrusting out her wedding finger. "'For better for worse; for richer for poorer; in sickness and in health; till death us do part.'"