“Hal, don’t you think it is a little selfish of you to want to throw me over just because you have lost your money?  You are young, healthy, have good character and influential connections, and plenty of good practical ability and sense, so, surely, you will know no such thing as failure if you meet the world bravely.  Go and be the man you are; and if you fail, when I am twenty-one I will marry you, and we will help each other.  I am young and strong, and am used to hard work, so poverty will not alarm me in the least.  If you want me, I want you.

“Syb, you are such a perfect little brick that I couldn’t be such a beggarly cur as to let you do that.  I knew you were as true as steel under your funny little whims and contrariness; and could you really love me now that I am poor?”

I replied with vigour: 

“Do you think I am that sort, that cares for a person only because he has a little money?  Why! that is the very thing I am always preaching against.  If a man was a lord or a millionaire I would not have him if I loved him not, but I would marry a poor cripple if I loved him.  It wasn’t because you owned Five-Bob Downs that I liked you, but because you have a big heart in which one would have room to get warm, and because you are true, and because you are kind and big and—­” Here I could feel my voice getting shaky, and being afraid I would make a fool of myself by crying, I left off.

“Syb, I will try and fix matters up a bit, and will claim you in that time if I have a home.”

“Claim me, home or not, if you are so disposed, but I will make this condition.  Do not tell anyone we are engaged, and remember you are perfectly free.  If you see a woman you like more than me, promise me on your sacred word that you will have none of those idiotic unjust ideas of keeping true to me.  Promise.”

“Yes, I will promise,” he said easily, thinking then, no doubt, as many a one before him has thought, that he would never be called upon to fulfil his word.

“I will promise in return that I will not look at another man in a matrimonial way until the four years are up, so you need not he jealous and worry yourself; for, Hal, you can trust me, can you not?”

Taking my hand in his and looking at me with a world of love in his eyes, which moved me in spite of myself, he said: 

“I could trust you in every way to the end of the world.”

“Thank you, Harold.  What we have said is agreed upon—­that is, of course, as things appear now:  if anything turns up to disturb this arrangement it is not irrevocable in the least degree, and we can lay out more suitable plans.  Four years will not be long, and I will be more sensible at the end of that time—­that is, of course, if I ever have any sense.  We will not write or have any communication, so you will be perfectly free if you see anyone you like better than me to go in and win.  Do you agree?”

“Certainly; any little thing like that you can settle according to your fancy.  I’m set up as long as I get you one way or another, that’s all I want.  It was a bit tough being cleared out from all the old ways, but if I have you to stand by me it will be a great start.  Say what you said last Sunday. again.  Syb, say you will be my wife.”