"Upon my soul, I don't see—"
"I vow you don't! You are the blindest fellow! Didn't Polly Livingstone's father give up his authority over her the other day—to Mr. Ludlow?"
"Certainly, to her husband."
"Well!"
"Margaret—do you mean—? But you can't mean that ?" Phil had not the voice to say more, emerging so suddenly from the clouds of puzzlement to the yet uncertain sunshine of joy.
"Why shouldn't I mean that?" says she, with the prettiest laugh, which made her bold behaviour seem the most natural, feminine act imaginable. "Am I not good enough for you?"
"Madge! You're not joking, are you?" He caught her hands, and gazed with still dubious rapture at her across the fence.
My sensations may easily be imagined. But by the time she had assured him she was perfectly in earnest, I had taught myself to act the man; and so I said, playfully:
"Such a contract, though 'tis made before witnesses, surely ought to be sealed."
Philip took my hint; and he and Margaret laughed, and stretched arms across the paling tops; and I lost sight of their faces. I sought refuge in turning to Fanny, who was nearer to me than they were. To my surprise, she was watching me with the most kindly, pitying face in the world. Who would have thought she had known my heart regarding her sister?