“My darling,” he said, in a low, earnest tone, “I have just told your mother that I love you, and she has given me leave to win you if I can. Virgie, I have loved you ever since those delightful days that we spent together on the way to California. I might have told you of it even then, had not Mr. Knight and my own sense of what was right warned me against it. But now, dearest, there are no barriers, unless you yourself raise one between us, and my heart bids me hope that you will not. Tell me, dear, that you love me—that you will be my wife.” He knelt by her side and gathered the two small hands that lay upon her lap into his, while he searched the lovely downcast face with his eager eyes. She did not repulse him; she made no effort even to release her hands from his clasp. She cast one shy, sweet glance into his face, a little smile of love and joy trembled on her lips, while rosy blushes surged up to the waves of bright hair lying on her forehead, and Rupert needed no other answer to assure him of his heart’s desire. “You do love me, my darling!” he cried, drawing her into his arms. “I read it in your dear face, in your beautiful eyes; but let me hear it from your lips. I am selfish enough not to be satisfied with anything less. Virgie, you will give yourself to me?” “Yes,” she whispered, her head drooping until her hair almost mingled with his; “you _made_ me love you on that journey.” “Oh, if I had known it then I fear I could not have held my peace,” he interrupted, laying his lips fondly against her forehead. “I had, in fact, to run away from you at San Jose lest I should violate all bonds and betray myself in spite of the caution of Mr. Knight, who said I must wait until you were safely back with your mother.” “Did Mr. Knight suspect?” faltered Virgie, growing crimson again. “Indeed he did. He is a very observing old gentleman, and took me to task for monopolizing you so much. He was right, too, dear, for it would have been rash and imprudent for me to have tried to win you then, and I honored him for restraining me, though it required a terrible wrench for me to tear myself away from you; but I knew my only safety was in flight. I resolved, however, that I would settle the question when I returned to New York; but I was very miserable when I came back in May and could not find you.” “And I, too, Rupert,” Virgie confessed. “I thought it is very hard when the doctor ordered mamma away just at the very time when I was looking for you; but of course I could not say a word, for her health was of more importance than anything else, while——” “While what, Virgie?” her lover asked, as she stopped in confusion. “While I was not sure but that I was nourishing a delusion; and, taking it all in all, I was very wretched.” “Ah! and you have been loving me all this time?” Rupert breathed, as he bent to kiss the lips that had confessed so much. “And I have been fearing that you might send me away hopeless.”