Margaret faced him defiantly. Billy was in a state of considerable perturbation.
"Why have you done this?" he asked, slowly. But a lucent something—half fear, half gladness—was wakening in Billy's eyes.
And her eyes answered him. But her tongue was far less veracious.
"Because you thought I was a pig! Because you couldn't make allowances for a girl who for four years has seen nothing but money and money-worshippers and the power of money! Because I wanted your—your respect, Billy. And you thought I couldn't give it up! Very well!" Miss Hugonin waved her hand airily toward the hearth. "Now I hope you know better. Don't you dare get up, Billy Woods!"
But I think nothing short of brute force could have kept Mr. Woods from her.
"Peggy," he babbled—"ah, forgive me if I'm a presumptuous ass—but was it because you knew I couldn't ask you to marry me so long as you had the money?"
She dallied with her bliss. Margaret was on the other side of the table.
"Why—why, of course it wasn't!" she panted. "What nonsense!"
"Look at me, Peggy!"
"I don't want to! You look like a fright with your head all tied up."
"Peggy ... this exercise is bad for an invalid."
"I—oh, please sit down! Please, Billy! It is bad for you."
"Not until you tell me——"
"But I don't!... Oh, you make me awfully tired."
"Peggy, don't you dare stamp your foot at me!... Peggy!"
"Please sit down! Now ... well, there's my hand, stupid, if you will be silly. Now sit down here—so, with your head leaned back on this nice little cushion because it's good for your poor head—and I'll sit on this nice little footstool and be quite, quite honest. No, you must lean back—I don't care if you can't see me, I'd much rather you couldn't. Well, the truth is—no, you must lean back—the truth is—I've loved you all my life, Billy Woods, and—no, not yet, Billy—and if you hadn't been the stupidest beautiful in the universe you'd have seen it long ago. You—you needn't—lean back—any longer, Billy ... Oh, Billy, why didn't you shave?"
"She is skinny, isn't she, Billy?"
"Now, Peggy, you mustn't abuse Kathleen. She's a friend of mine."
"Well, I know she's a friend of yours, but that doesn't prevent her being skinny, does it?"
"Now, Peggy—"
"Please, Billy! Please say she's skinny!"
"Er—well, she's a bit thin, perhaps."
"You angel!"
"And you're quite sure you've forgiven me for doubting you?"
"And you've forgiven me?"
"Bless you, Peggy, I never doubted you! I've been too busy loving you."
"It seems to me as if it had been—always."
"Why, didn't we love one another in Carthage, Peggy?"
"I think it was in Babylon, Billy."
"And will love one another——?"
"Forever and ever, dear. You've been to seek a wife, Billy boy."
"And oh, the dimple in her chin..."
Ah, well! There was a deal of foolish prattle there in the firelight—delectable prattle, irresponsible as the chattering of birds after a storm. And I fancy that the Eagle's shadow is lifted from Selwoode, now that Love has taken up his abode there.
THE END