"Would you?" she demanded.
"It's not that," he said, not daring to advance towards her lest she should retreat farther.
"A woman always has to change her name when she marries. Why shouldn't a man do it for once?"
He started forward now and caught her arm and led her back to her chair and dropped on his knees again beside her.
"Dearest Mollie June," he said, "I'll change my name to yours so gladly, if you will let me. So as to have you sooner than I could the other way. But not unless you want me to!" he added fiercely. "For yourself!"
She looked at him, shyly now.
"I would rather have it the other way myself," she said, tears standing in her eyes at last, "and wait and change my name to yours. But I think we ought to do it this way for George."
"For George!"
"Yes, and Aunt Mary. She has been very good to me. George was good to me too in his way. And he was my husband, and he's dead. If we can save his name and save her--this way,--don't you think we ought to?"
Then of course he put his arms about her.