“But perhaps, after all, I had better see your guardian, and ask him for his consent to our marriage?” questioned Ray.
The governess shook her head.
“No, do not anger him now, for he is really in such a rage he might set the dogs on you, who knows?”
“Oh, very well, we need not hurry. It will all blow over by-and-by,” cried Leola, in her happy-go-lucky way, and presently, when Ray had taken leave, she went up to her room and penned an amiable but decided refusal of Mr. Bennett’s offer, saying she would prefer to marry a younger man, and frankly advising him to turn his attention to Miss Tuttle, who admired him immensely, and would make him the best wife in the world.
When she showed this effort to the governess, that lady promptly hugged and kissed her, and declared she was the dearest girl on earth.
A special messenger carried the missive over to the Bennett place, and Leola congratulated herself that the episode was closed.
But who can tell what a day may bring forth?
Leola’s whole life had been carelessly happy, for she was blessed with one of those sweet, sunshiny natures that always look on the bright side, and find pleasure in the simple joys of even a quiet life. She made her own sunshine as she went.
For more than three weeks now she had been blissfully happy—so happy that in all her future she will look back in wonder that such perfect happiness could be, for, alas, this was the end of those golden days of love’s sweet dream.
That night, at supper, Wizard Hermann said, casually, as if it were a matter of small moment: