The poor child tried her best to smile, but perhaps his accusation of her was not unjust, for the effect was a complete failure, and she had to hide her face against his neck to conceal the fact that tears had come instead of smiles. “Don’t try to make me laugh,” she said; “if you do, I’m sure to cry, and I do not want to do that. It always made you angry to see me cry.” “All right, then, we won’t laugh or cry either. We’ll just be sensible, and you’ll show me what a little brick you really are. You’ve acted in a way already to win a tremendous respect from me. You can just remember that. I don’t know another woman who’d have behaved as well. And, now, let me show you something. Don’t move, it’s just here in my pocket. I had such a sweet idea the other day. You see,” he went on, as she sat up to look, “I knew you’d feel badly about leaving off the ring, when--when the time comes, so I’ve got you another--not plain gold, of course, but one you can always wear, in place of it, for my sake. Isn’t it a little beauty?” He opened his hand and showed her a ring set with two very perfect pearls, one white and one black. “The white’s for you, and the black’s for me,” he said, laughing, as he slipped it on her finger. “I knew it would fit,” he went on, “for _I_ knew what a mite of a hand it was for! The man thought it was for a child.” “Oh, how dear, how lovely, how beautiful it is!” said Mimi. “How good you were to think of it! But, Bertie--” She hesitated a moment, and then said: “You won’t be vexed if I ask you something, will you?” “I don’t know,” he said, with a slight frown. “I don’t like questions.” “Oh, I know that--and I’m not going to inquire into anything! You needn’t be afraid of that. All I want is to know whether--when the time comes--I’ll be obliged to take off my wedding-ring? Couldn’t I wear it still?” She looked into his face with the most earnest beseeching, and evidently with intense anxiety as to his reply. “Oh, I suppose you could--if you wanted to! I don’t see why not. I never heard of anyone’s doing it, but of course you can keep it on, if it will be a comfort to you. It’s a natural enough wish. Precious thing! I declare it’s perfectly touching!” “Oh, thank you, Bertie, _thank_ you!” she cried, throwing her arms around his neck again. “You don’t know what a load you have taken off my mind!” “Poor little Mim,” he said, gently stroking her hair, “how you can care as you do about such a devil of a scamp as I am is the mystery!” “You are not--you are good,” she said brokenly, “and Bertie, there is just one more thing I want to ask you to let me keep. If you’ll do that, I’ll be satisfied.” “What is it?” She put her lips to his ear and whispered: “Your name.” He did not answer immediately, and turning to look in his face, she saw that he looked perplexed. “Upon my word, my darling child, I don’t know how that is, but if it can be arranged, of course I am willing,” he said.