“Then, if you will kindly excuse me, I will go and put on my hat and shawl and be ready, so that when our young friends have got through their _tête-à-tête_ I may not keep you waiting,” replied the lady as she left the room. In the meantime Ronald Bruce passed into the blue parlor, where he found Em. awaiting him. The girl’s countenance prompted her to rebuke her lover for his second audacious attempt to break through her father’s prohibition. But at the sight of his loving, happy, radiant face her heart condoned the offense. “Dear Em., dear, dearest Em.! don’t reproach me! I have not seen you for a month. I could not stand it any longer. I had to make a friend of old Dr. Willet, I mean a confidant, for he was always my friend—one of my oldest and best friends—and I got him to bring me here and introduce me to the lady of the house. Oh! Em., my treasure, I am so glad to see you! Don’t reproach me!” Indeed, she could not do so. His beaming countenance continued to shine on her, while he held her hands, rapturously kissing them from time to time as he poured forth his impetuous stream of words. “I am _very_ glad to see you, Ronald, but, oh! I know I ought not to be glad. Did my dear lady send you in to see me?” she inquired while he placed himself at her side on the sofa. “Oh, yes, to be sure she did! Some good spirit must have whispered to her how much I wished to see you alone,” he said, still tightly holding her hand and pressing it to his lips. “Don’t, Ronald, please don’t do that,” she said, withdrawing her hand, but adding, “I told the lady all about us, Ronald.” “You! There, I said some angel had enlightened her, and you are the one!” he murmured, as he recaptured her hand and deftly slipped a ring upon her finger. “Oh! what is this?” she exclaimed, raising the hand that he had then released and gazing upon the sparkling solitaire diamond set in the golden circle around her finger. “It is something belonging to you,” he gravely replied. “Belonging to me!” she exclaimed. “Yes, it is your betrothal ring, ordered for you some weeks ago, but never received until yesterday.” She began to withdraw the ring from her finger, but he caught her hand and prevented her from doing so as he said: “No, Em., you must not remove it. You must wear it until it is replaced by a wedding ring. Listen, Em.! Don’t make me out a story-teller! I said I had a parcel to deliver which _belonged to you_, as it did belong to you, since it was ordered and made for you—and that was my excuse for wanting to intrude on the seclusion of this hermit lady! Don’t make me out a mendacious villain by refusing to take _what belongs to you_!” “I don’t understand your logic, dear Ronald; but I _know_ I must not take a betrothal ring from you in the face of my father’s prohibition of our engagement,” replied the girl as she steadily withdrew the ring from her finger and returned it to him.