But why
didn't they speak out, so that I could have gone away? Oh, Mr.
Masters!"
"It was only yesterday she knew it herself."
"She must have guessed it"
"No;--she knew nothing till he declared himself. And to-day, this
very morning, she has bade me come to you and let you know it. And
she sent you her love."
"Her love!" said Larry, chucking the stick which he held in his
hands down to the ground and then stooping to pick it up again.
"Yes;--her love. Those were her words, and I am to tell you from
her--to be a man."
"Did she say that?"
"Yes;--I was to come out to you at once, and bring you that as a
message from her."
"Be a man! I could have been a man right enough if she would have
made me one; as good a man as Reginald Morton, though he is squire
of Bragton. But of course I couldn't have given her a house like
that, nor a carriage, nor made her one of the county people. If it
was to go in that way, what could I hope for?"
"Don't be unjust to her, Larry."
"Unjust to her! If giving her every blessed thing I had in the
world at a moment's notice was unjust, I was ready to be unjust any
day of the week or any hour of the day."
"What I mean is that her heart was fixed that way before Reginald
Morton was squire of Bragton. What shall I say in answer to her
message? You will wish her happiness;--will you not?"
"Wish her happiness! Oh, heavens!" He could not explain what was in
his mind.
Pages:
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734