She and I Volume I Part 24

"O, Min,"--I went on,--"if you only knew the agony I have suffered in thinking that you cared for some one else! I love you so much, that I am jealous of every word you speak, every glance of your darling eyes which is not directed to me. I envied my very dog the other day because you caressed him!"

"What!" she exclaimed, "Jealous of poor Catch! Do you know, Frank, that made me ove you first, your fondness for your dog and little d.i.c.ky Chips!"

"You _do_ love me, then? O, Min, my darling!" I exclaimed in ecstasy.

"I didn't say so, did I?" she said, saucily. "Well, then," I entreated, "say it now, sweet! Say that you love me, my darling!"

"You are much too exacting, sir!"--she said, drawing herself up with the air of a haughty little Empress.--"I must consider your pet.i.tion first."

"But you _do_ love me, darling; so why cannot you say it? Tell me, pet, 'Frank, I love you;' and, you'll make me happy for ever!" I pleaded.

"I _shan't_ be ordered," she said, with a piquante coquetry which made her appear all the more winning.--"I'm not going to tell you anything of the kind, for I won't be dictated to; but, I'll say 'I love you, Frank.'

There! sir, will that please your lordship, although it is not in the exact words you have asked me?"--and she made a pretty little gesture of affected disdain.

"O Min, my love! my pet! my darling!"--said I, rapturously--

I stopped, breathless with emotion. I could not get out a word more!

We had now reached her door, and she said she must go in. I persuaded her, however, to wait a little while longer before she knocked, as I could not say 'Good-night' yet. Parting was too hard, though sweet.

So, we talked on in whispers to one another for some minutes--it may have been hours, for all I know to the contrary--what might be to you only a lot of uninteresting talk, but, what was heaven to me!

"Good-night, Frank!" Min said at length. "I really must go in now, or mamma will think me lost. And, O Frank!" she exclaimed in alarm, as the sudden thought struck her--"what _will_ she say when she hears of this!"

"Oh, never mind thinking of that now!" I said. "I will come round to- morrow afternoon, sweet, and ask her whether I may be allowed to hope, and win you for my own dear, darling little wife!"

We were standing close together in the porch, just under the gas-light.

I was gazing into her eyes, which seemed to me ever so much brighter than the light of the lamp above us, or the stars overhead.

The little ear next me got quite pink.

She quickly bent down her head in confusion.

"You mustn't call me names, Frank!" she said. "I won't have it, sir! I won't have it! You have no right!"

I clasped her little hand firmly in mine.

"This belongs to me now, darling, does it not? You _will_ be my own darling little wife, won't you?" I repeated.

She said nothing, but, after a moment, she raised her face to mine; and, as I bent down my head, and looked into her very soul, through the deep, honest, trusting, loving, grey eyes, our lips met in one long thrilling kiss.

It was a foretaste of paradise!

END OF FIRST VOLUME.