Then we began to talk, and the mystery deepened.  He spoke of a telegram.  I had never received one!  And my telegram?  I had never sent one!  He laughed, and when I said I didn’t understand, he said what was the use of understanding when knowing was sufficient?

It was all very puzzling, but I was content.  There was so much to talk of, so many explanations to make and to hear!  But in time we came back to the telegram.  There had been no such thing!

He laughed.  “I have it here,” he said, putting his hand on his coat-pocket.

“Show it to me,” I pleaded.

Never; it was his, and his alone.

“But nothing is yours now that is not mine,” I urged, “at least, if you have asked me to marry you.”

“Betty,” he said, “I quite forgot.  I came home for the express purpose of doing so.  I have thought and dreamed of nothing else, all through the long marches in Africa; all the way home I have thought of that and of your answer.  Betty, will you marry me?”

“I shall be delighted, Captain Buchanan.  But where is my telegram to you, your telegram to me?”

It I think Nannie must have one.”

“And did she answer it?  Oh, what did she say?”

“Never mind; she said exactly the right thing.  Don’t let’s discuss Nannie’s telegram when we have to make up for the silence of years! 0 Betty! shall I wake up?”

A little later he said, “Tell me, did you care that night at the Frasers’?”

“I said I never remembered a time when I didn’t care.

“0 Betty! if only you hadn’t been so proud!”

“Or you so horribly ununderstandable!”

Chapter XIX

You wonderful Nannie,” I said later, as I sat at her feet, “how did you do it?”

“Quite easily,” said Nannie.  “When I saw that you must go to Hames, as of course you had to, I thought to myself, I’ll wait!  Years ago my lady said to me, I Nannie, don’t let my child throw away her own chance of happiness.  I feel that a day may come when she will be called upon to make a sacrifice, and she will make it, regardless of her own feelings.  You were always giving up your toys and things to the boys; that’s what made your mother think of it.  The day she spoke of came the morning the telegram came from Hames.  I had been waiting and waiting so as to be sure to do what your mother told me, and the day came.  You see, I saw the paper, and I knew!”

“How, Nannie?  No one knew, I thought.”

“Ah, nannies know things; much use they’d be in this world if they didn’t?  I know lots of things I’m not supposed to!  Well, I waited, and no telegram came from him that day.  There were all sorts of things about him in the evening paper, being a hero and a lion and all those sort of things.  Then the next day the telegram came.  The ship had been late; you never can tell with ships.  Leave ships to sailors, I say.  Well, I opened the telegram.  It said, ‘Will you see me if I come straight to you ?’ or some such words, and I answered it.”