"Your own father, this morning as ever was." "Was--was the idea yours or his?" "My very dearest--small one----" "I'm not so small as all that! You're not to call me small!" "Well, all-that-my-heart-desireth, which you are, I will tell you with such precision as is in me. I said to him: 'I want her! I do want her! Oh, I want her badly! But, if I have to earn her, I'll have to wait for her, I dare not think how long.' Then he said to me--exactly what I've told you; and my heart sang. Do you doubt? Ask him! To me the point is: shall we say the first?" "Rodney, do try to be sensible! You're a man, and you can't understand." "Is that so? So long as you do." "To a girl her wedding day is the day of her life." "Some girls manage to have several wedding days, so I suppose they have two or three days in their lives." "There will be only one wedding day in my life. Whatever happens I want that to be, in every sense, a wonderful day; I want mine to be a pretty wedding." "With you as bride that's assured." "A really pretty wedding can't be arranged at a moment's notice; it takes time." "Half an hour--or three-quarters?" "Don't be so silly! Mamma's coming up to town to-morrow. I'll consult her; then I shall have some idea how long a time it will take." "You mean how short a time! Do mean how short a time!" "Well, how short a time. Rodney, how many bridesmaids would you like me to have?" "Bridesmaids? My dear! What are bridesmaids to me, so long as I've the bride? All--all--all I'm going to be married to is the bride!" "You are--a perfect----" "Yes? A perfect--what?" "Oh, I don't know! Rodney?" She hid her face upon his shoulder. "I always wondered what there was in a kiss to make a fuss about. Now--I know." When he left it had been practically settled that the wedding should take place on the earliest possible day of the ensuing month.