"Dearest!"
"What?"
"Won't you answer me?"
"If you make me answer now, I'll be tempted to fix the first of April."
"All right, fix it."
"It's All Fool's day, you know," she threatened. "Probably it is peculiarly suitable for us…. Very well, then, I'll say it."
She was laughing when he caught her hands and looked at her, grave, unsmiling. Suddenly her eyes filled with tears and her lip trembled.
"Forgive me, I meant no mockery," she whispered. "I had already fixed the first day of June for—for the great change in our lives. Are you content?"
"Yes." And before she knew what he was doing a brilliant flashed along her ring finger and clung sparkling to it; and she stared at the gold circlet and the gem flashing in the firelight.
There were tears in her eyes when she kissed it, looking at him while her soft lips rested on the jewel.