“And you love no one else?”
“Not a living soul but my wife.”
“Oh! I am so glad.”
With these words she flew into his arms, and Joe, bending down, gravely kissed his own.
“You are sure you can forgive me, dearest?”
“Forgive you—oh, Joe, I shall love tobacco after this.”
“See, I have brought my pipe here for you to destroy—I couldn’t quite do it myself, for I’ve had it many years. But you shall be the executioner.”
“Not for worlds—if this is the only rival I have to fear I can share my place in your heart with it. You shall smoke after dinner, and I myself will fill your pipe.”
He kissed her fingers tenderly.
“Ah! dearest, what a fool I have been all this while, to suffer as I have when by confession I might have long since been absolved. But I am sincere in my resolve to stop smoking.”