She put her thin arm about his neck. “Will you do something for me?”
“Anything on earth!”
A wan little funny gleam lighted her pretty dark eyes.
“This is on earth, all right. I’ll tell you about it next time you come....” Suddenly Elsie sat up and grasped him. “There will be a next time, won’t there, Harvey?” she asked him in a wild tone, a wave of terror seeming to go over her.
He held her gently.
“Don’t be frightened, dear. Of course there is going to be a next time ... all the rest of our lives. You didn’t think even for a minute that I would go back on you, did you, Elsie?”
She smiled and released herself, then smiled again. “No, no, I didn’t mean that. Take a chair, Harvey, and tell me about the weather.”
Harvey took the chair and once more possessed himself of her hand.
She smiled sweetly.
“Now let me ask you a favor. Let’s name the day, Elsie,” he said. “Promise to marry me,—as soon as you get well.”