164
After the Fire.
[Feb.
who was here today had gotten ahead of you."
" Who told you that ? "
"Nobody told me that, but Charley Lorillard told me that Jimmy Watson who is a cousin of his is going to mar- ry her next week."
" Did he say Watson had gotten ahead of me ? "
" No : I said that, putting two and two together, you know."
"O, the dickens! And Lorillard was here again Tuesday ? "
" Yes ; he wanted us to go up to his place away from the fire ; but father thought we had better stay, and save what things we could. It was very kind of Mr. Lorillard, but I am glad we did not go now, though I was frightened when I knew we could n't get away."
" O, he is a cherub ! I too am glad you did not go with him. I think if I had found no traces of you when I got here, I should have gone crazy. Bessie, I want you to tell me if you are going to marry Lorillard or me. I can't stand this sort of thing."
"What sort of thing? I have not been thinking of marrying either of you. Why should I ? " she answered, in great apparent surprise.
" Because I love you. You know it. I love you more and better in one hour than that shallow Lorillard would or could in his whole life. I can't tell you how much. I have n't practiced pretty speech making as much as he has."
" Oh, have n't you ? "
Bessie's face was hidden in her hands that were supported by her knee-propped elbows. He paid no attention to the tone of her short remark, but continued, "I have loved you ever since that night you released me from the beaks of the pelicans."
She laughed. " Do you remember I told you that night that I thought you would make a very poor dear ? "
"You have never been very good to me," despondently.
"Not as good as Annie Drew, I sup- pose."
He reached over and pulled the prop- ping hands from under her chin, and surprised a laugh on the hidden face that disappeared quickly. He remem- bered Mrs. Brown's advice, to be as frank with Bessie as he had been to her.
"Dearest, Annie hid my hat for a joke, and when I found it I chased her up the hall and kissed her. Half a dozen people saw us, as we rnade a good deal of noise. There was no intention on either side to make it a sentimental occasion. When she let Mrs. Brown believe she was promised to me, it was another one of her ideas of a joke. Won't you forgive me ? I will promise never to kiss but one other girl while I live."
" You should n't make any promises, unless you know you can keep them."
" Won't you forgive me ? "
" I think you had better ask Jimmy Watson to forgive you. He is the only one I know who cares about it."
"Bessie, I love you. Why do you treat me so ? Either tell me that I have no show or that I have."
There was a long pause, during which the red curve of her cheek was all he could see of her averted face. Finally he reached one bandaged hand and gent- ly turned her chin toward him, until his eyes met and held hers. They were beautiful always, and now all his honest, warm young heart was in them, pleading better than his tongue could ever do.
" How long have you loved me ? " she said.
" Always, I think." He answered with a lover's certainty.
" No. You only began to care for me the day after the pelican scare, and you never really cared very much until you were a little bit jealous of Charley Lor- illard. Isn't that so? Now confess."
He promptly settled this exact truth by flatly contradicting the whole thing.*
" No, it was when I kissed you the
