"Better not count on it," she said; "but if you want me, in spite of my 'arid' head,--you can take me! Of course, just for a minute, when I wrung it from you that you--cared, I was rather stunned, because I didn't believe Miss Eliza knew. But on the whole, I think--I'd like it." She smiled at him, and her eyes brimmed with affection. "You see, we're friends; and you never bore me. Howard would have bored me awfully. So--I will marry you, Arthur." He was silent. "Rather hard," she said, mischievously, "to have to offer myself tw--" "Stop!" he said; "don't say things like that!" "Well, then--" she began; but he lifted a silencing hand: "My dear, my dear, I love you too much to marry you." "Why, then," she said, simply, "you love me, it seems to me, enough to marry me. Don't you see?" He looked at her with hungry eyes. "I think I am man enough to save you from myself," he said; "but don't--don't tempt me too far!"... CHAPTER XXVII That was in September. It was the first of December when Howard Maitland came leaping up-stairs, two steps at a time, and burst into the nursery, so chock-full of news that he could hardly wait to see the way Betty's toes would grip your finger if you put it on the sole of her pink foot. "Who _do_ you suppose is engaged?" "Jack McKnight," Laura said; "Howard, kiss her little neck, right under her ear." He kissed it, and said, "No! Not McKnight. You wouldn't guess in a hundred years!" "Well, then, you'd better tell me. See, Father, she's smiling! Howard, I think she's really a very distinguished-looking baby; don't you?" "She looks like her ma, so of course she is!" "Nonsense! She's the image of you. What do you think? When I went down to luncheon, Sarah says she turned her head right around to watch me go out of the room." "Gosh! She'll be reading Browning next! Laura--why don't you rise about the engagement? You'll scream when I tell you." "Well, tell me." "Fred Payton and--" "What!" "Hold on. I've not begun to holler yet. _And_--old Weston." "_What!_" "I thought you'd sit up." "Howard! I don't believe it." "It's true. I met Mrs. Payton, and she told me. She kept me standing on the corner for a quarter of an hour while she explained that she was going to do up her Christmas presents now, so she could get the house in order for the wedding. It's to be in January. The engagement comes out to-morrow. It's been cooking since September, but they didn't really tie up until last week. I'm pledged to secrecy, but your Aunt Nelly said I could tell you." "I never was so astonished in my life!" Laura gasped. "I was--surprised, myself," Howard said. "Well," said Laura, "I'm glad poor old Fred is going to be married--but how _can_ she! Of course I know he's been gone on her for ages; but I don't see how he dared to propose to her--he's old enough to be her father! Maybe she took pity on him and proposed to him," Laura declared, giggling. "The baby has a double chin," her husband said, hurriedly.