"Of course I want you to have it! I only want it for you!--you know I only want it for you! Herbert, are you--are you sure you love me? Tell me--tell me quite truly." "I am as sure as that there is the moon above us; and now I dare to tell you so; no man ever loved a woman better than I love you. I know I am unworthy; I know how, in all essentials, you are infinitely above me----" "I'm not--I'm not!" "But it shall be my constant endeavour to raise myself to your level----" "Don't!--you don't know what you're saying! Don't!" "I do know what I'm saying, and I mean it; if God gives me strength I hope, before I've finished, to prove myself worthy of the wife I've won. You hear? Then make a note of it." Then there were divers passages. "Herbert, I want you to go to Mr. Dawson tomorrow, and arrange about that partnership. I'll find the fifteen hundred pounds." "Sweetheart, you've turned all my sorrow into joy." "And--this, sir, is supposed to be spoken in the faintest whisper--I--I think I'd like to be married pretty soon." "As soon as it is legally possible, madam, you shall be married, if you choose to say the word." "I don't want it in quite such a hurry as that; but--you know what I mean!--I don't want to have to wait a horrid year." Presently she asked, "Do you know that Mr. Lindsay's very ill?" "I heard it as I came along." "I think he's dying. I suppose Nora'll be very rich if he does." "Let's hope that he'll not die." "Not die?" She looked at him with such a strange expression on her face that he smiled. "Why, girlie, you don't want the father to die to make the daughter rich!" "No; of course not." But, afterwards, she was not the same; it was as if he had struck some jarring note. When they parted she went round to the back of the house, along the terrace, towards the study window, which still stood open. She paused upon the threshold. "Suppose he were not to die? suppose he doesn't?" The problem the supposition presented to her mind seemed to cause her no slight disturbance; still she passed into the room. Which explains why, when Nora said she doubted if Mr. Nash was ever really interested in anybody but himself, Elaine Harding had good cause to wonder if the thing was true. CHAPTER V PETER PIPER'S POPULAR PILLS On the Monday, after Dr. Banyard had been gone perhaps a couple of hours, Mr. Nash drove up to Cloverlea in a dogcart. Miss Harding met him in the drive. At sight of her the gentleman descended; the cart went on up to the house, to wait for him. So soon as it was out of sight the lady, taking a packet from the bodice of her dress, gave it to her lover. "That's the two hundred; put it in your pocket; I want you to promise that you'll not breathe a word to any one about the money having come from me." "I promise readily."