‘More?’ cried Evan:  ‘Can I trust you more?’ He spoke of the letter:  Rose caught his hand.

’I never had it, Evan.  You wrote it last night? and all was written in it?  I never saw it—­but I know all.’

Their eyes fronted.  The gates of Rose’s were wide open, and he saw no hurtful beasts or lurking snakes in the happy garden within, but Love, like a fixed star.

‘Then you know why I must leave, Rose.’

’Leave?  Leave me?  On the contrary, you must stay by me, and support me.  Why, Evan, we have to fight a battle.’

Much as he worshipped her, this intrepid directness of soul startled him-almost humbled him.  And her eyes shone with a firm cheerful light, as she exclaimed:  ’It makes me so happy to think you were the first to mention this.  You meant to be, and that’s the same thing.  I heard it this morning:  you wrote it last night.  It’s you I love, Evan.  Your birth, and what you were obliged to do—­that’s nothing.  Of course I’m sorry for it, dear.  But I’m more sorry for the pain I must have sometimes put you to.  It happened through my mother’s father being a merchant; and that side of the family the men and women are quite sordid and unendurable; and that’s how it came that I spoke of disliking tradesmen.  I little thought I should ever love one sprung from that class.’

She turned to him tenderly.

‘And in spite of what my birth is, you love me, Rose?’

‘There’s no spite in it, Evan.  I do.’

Hard for him, while his heart was melting to caress her, the thought that he had snared this bird of heaven in a net!  Rose gave him no time for reflection, or the moony imagining of their raptures lovers love to dwell upon.

‘You gave the letter to Polly, of course?’

‘Yes.’

‘Oh, naughty Polly!  I must punish you,’ Rose apostrophized her.  ’You might have divided us for ever.  Well, we shall have to fight a battle, you understand that.  Will you stand by me?’

Would he not risk his soul for her?

’Very well, Evan.  Then—­but don’t be sensitive.  Oh, how sensitive you are!  I see it all now.  This is what we shall have to do.  We shall have to speak to Mama to-day—­this morning.  Drummond has told me he is going to speak to her, and we must be first.  That ’s decided.  I begged a couple of hours.  You must not be offended with Drummond.  He does it out of pure affection for us, and I can see he’s right—­or, at least, not quite wrong.  He ought, I think, to know that he cannot change me.  Very well, we shall win Mama by what we do.  My mother has ten times my wits, and yet I manage her like a feather.  I have only to be honest and straightforward.  Then Mama will gain over Papa.  Papa, of course, won’t like it.  He’s quiet and easy, but he likes blood, but he also likes peace better; and I think he loves Rosey—­as well as somebody—­almost?  Look, dear, there is our seat where we—­where you would rob me of my handkerchief.  I can’t talk any more.’