He was startled and surprised, scarcely dreaming that so young a girl had already loved, but he did not ask her any questions, simply drew away the little hands from her face and kissed the wet fingertips, saying gently:
“Can we not fold down these sad pages in our hearts, dear Mae, and begin again with a new love and a new hope for the future? I will be as patient as you wish me, waiting for your answer as long as you desire, so that you give me a spark of hope now.”
And looking in her tender eyes, he read that he need not wait an hour, for his devotion had touched the smoldering spark of love into flame.
He kissed her tenderly, and whispered:
“God bless you, darling! I will try to make you the happiest woman in the world. And as for Viola, I suppose she is in love with Desha still, and he will get her in the end. I will hunt him up tomorrow and renew our old friendship, telling him that I am engaged to the sweetest girl on earth, and no longer his rival and enemy.”
And thus ended successfully the little plot of Viola to console Florian and Mae for their former disappointments by making them fall in love with each other.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
IN HER TOILS AGAIN.
Who was so happy as Viola when she received Florian’s frank letter explaining everything in his inimitable manner, and asking her congratulations on his engagement to Mae.
The thought that her old lover was happy at last lightened the weight of remorse on her mind, and made her smile with joy as she thought: