Part 29 (1/2)

”But surely you are not going this year?”

”We are--before Christmas.”

As Tiny spoke her glance went to the window: she was very anxious to see the snow before she sailed, but none had fallen yet, though December had come in dull and raw.

”But your people here must be very much against that?”

”They were, but now it is settled.”

”You must have promised to come back!”

Christina seemed surprised.

”Yes, I said I would come back some day.”

”And you shall!” cried Manister pa.s.sionately. ”You shall come back as my wife! Do you suppose I am going to stop short at this, when but for your brother you would have been mine to-day? I don't mean to say he has influenced you, except by going back so soon; you love Australia, and you must needs go back with him. Then go! I told you to take six months; you have taken one of them. When the other five are up I am coming to you again wherever you may be. Till then I will take no answer; and whatever it may be in the end I bow to it--I bow to it!”

His pa.s.sion surprised and even moved Christina; but his humility stirred up in her soul a contempt which mingled strangely with her pity. Women of spirit cannot admire the man who will submit to anything at their hands. Christina would willingly have given admiration in exchange for the love in which she was beginning to believe; it would have pleased her sense of justice, it would have promoted her self-respect to make some such small payment on account. With Manister's patience she had none at all. She was disappointed in him. Her foot tapped angrily on the fender.

”But I don't want you to wait!” exclaimed Christina ungraciously. ”I have told you so already.”

”Still I mean to do so, and it serves me right.”

This touched her generosity.

”Ah, don't say that!” she cried earnestly. ”Oh, Lord Manister, I have forgotten all old scores--I never think of them now! The balance has been the other way so long; and I do not deserve another chance.”

”Ah, but Tiny--darling--it is I who am asking for that!”

His tone compelled her to meet his gaze--its intensity made her wince.

”You believe in me!” he cried joyously. ”Say only that you believe in me, and I will go away now. I will go away happy and proud--to wait--for you.”

Then Tiny laid her little hand on his arm, and her eyes that had filled with tears answered him to his present satisfaction. He held her hand for just a few seconds before he went, and in kindness she returned his pressure. Then the shutting of the front door down below made her realize that he was gone. And she had time to dry her eyes and to gather herself together before Ruth, whose hopes had been dead some days, came into the room with a dejected mien and pointedly abstained from asking questions.

”If it interests you to hear it,” Tiny said lightly, ”I am converted to your creed at last; I believe in Lord Manister!”

”But you are not engaged to him,” Ruth said wearily; ”I see you are not.”

”I am not; but he insists on waiting. If only he wasn't so tame! But I can't help believing in him now; and that settles it.”

”Nothing is settled until you are engaged,” said the matter-of-fact sister, with a sigh.

”Nevertheless I'm going to try with all my might to care for him, now that I see that he must really care for me. And let me tell you that I shall consider myself all the more bound to him because I haven't _said_ yes, and because we're _not_ actually engaged!”

”Yes?” said the other incredulously. ”That is so like you, Tiny!”

And Ruth almost sneered.

CHAPTER XIX.