"Promise?"
"I promise."
"Give me your hand on it."
He rose and stood before her and put forth that great palm of his, and she set her slim white fingers in it. And then there must have been an earthquake or something, for suddenly she was swept to her feet and she was enveloped in his big arms and crushed against him, and his big mouth was pressed so fiercely to hers that she could not breathe.
She was so frightened that her heart seemed to break. And then she knew nothing till she found herself in the patent rocker, with him kneeling at her side, pleading with her to forgive him for the brute he was.
She was very weak and very much afraid of him and entirely bewildered. She wanted to run away, but he would not let her rise. The only thing that eased her was his saying over and over again, "You are the most beautiful thing in this world."
She had to laugh at that, and she heard herself saying, "Why, Newt Meldrum, one of us must be crazy!"
"I am–crazy with love of you."
"But to call me beautiful–poor old Debby!"
"You are beautiful; you're the handsomest woman I know."