"Dick, old fellow, whether it will come to anything between us or not, I cannot tell," he said, his voice strangely deep, his brow flushing with emotion, "but I shall never care for any one else as I care for her."
"Then secure her," answered Dick.
"I might be tempted to do it, in spite of my mother, had I the wherewithal to set up a home; but I haven't."
"You have more than double what Rane and Bessy have."
"Rane and Bessy! But Bessy is one in a thousand. I couldn't ask a wife to come home to me on that."
"Just as you think well, of course. Take care, though, you don't get her snapped up. I should fear it, if it were my case. Ellen Adair is the loveliest girl I ever saw, and I think her the sweetest, I could only look at her as we sat in Mrs. Cumberland's room this morning. Other men will be finding it out, Arthur, if they have not already done so."
Arthur never answered. He had gone back to his former post, and was leaning against the window-frame, looking out dreamily.
"Madam objects, I presume?"
"I presume she would, if I put it to her," assented Arthur, as if the proposition admitted of no dispute.
"I don't see why she should do so, or you, either."