“If I loved a man, I should stand by him to the last, no matter what he might think of the—the—Pentateuch—or even Deuteronomy.” And a twinkle danced, for a moment, in her flashing eyes. “What he thought of Alice,” added she, with a parenthetical smile, “that would be the main point with me. And if he loved me as the Don loves you, I would follow him to the ends of the earth. Yes, and to the end of the world. To the end of the world—and—and—beyond!”
A noble devotion illumined her face as she uttered these words, and Mary’s eyes kindled in sympathy.
“Then you would marry an unbeliever?”
“Mary, if you were to fall into a river, the Don would leap in to save you. You see him battling with waves of another kind—and—you hesitate! Plunge boldly in,—throw your loving arms around—”
“Oh!”
“Metaphorically speaking!”
“Ah!”
“Of course!”
CHAPTER LXIII.
The two friends sat down and talked ever so much more. Alice did not show Charley’s letter to Mary, but before she said good-night she exacted a promise from her to give up her religious warfare upon the Don.