"No," she said, "not till I am your wife. Then I must submit. Till then I belong to myself." "I have waited a long time," answered this patient suitor, "and I can wait a little longer. When shall we be married?" "Fix the time yourself," she replied. "I am to leave Christmas morning by the Napoleon stage for home, and if you wish we may be married Christmas Eve. That will give you four days for preparation." "As you wish," was the response. "I know, Rita, you do not love me," said Williams, tenderly. "You surely do," she interrupted. "But I also know," he continued, "that I can win your love when you are my wife. I know it, or I would not ask you to marry me. I would not accept your hand if I were not sure that I would soon possess your heart. I will be so loving and tender and your life will be so perfect--so different from anything you have ever known--that you will soon be glad you gave yourself to me. It will not be long, Rita, not long." "Perhaps you are right," she answered with her lips; but in her heart this girl, who was all tenderness and love, prayed God to strike him dead before Christmas Eve should come. Williams again took his chair, but Rita said, "I have given you my promise. I--I am--I fear I am ill. Please excuse me for the rest of the evening and--and leave me, I beg you." Williams took his leave, and Rita went into the sitting room, where father, mother, and Tom were waiting for the verdict. "You are saved," said Rita, as if she were announcing dinner. "My daughter! my own dear child! God will bless you!" exclaimed the tender mother, hurrying to embrace the cause of her joy. "Don't touch me!" said Rita. "I--I--God help me! I--I fear--I--hate you." She turned to the stairway and went to her own room. For hours she sat by the window, gazing into the street, but toward morning she lighted a candle and told Dic the whole piteous story in a dozen pages of anguish and love. * * * * * After receiving Sukey's letter, Dic left home for a few days to engage horses to take east with him in the spring. He did not return until late in the afternoon of the day before Christmas. On the morning of that day--the day before Christmas--Jasper Yates, Sukey's father, came to Billy Little's store in great agitation. Tom Bays had been there the day before and had imparted to Billy the news of Rita's forthcoming wedding. She had supposed that Dic would tell him and had not written; but Dic was away from home and had not received her letter.