Page:Guy Boothby--A Bid for Fortune.djvu/52

42 "I wonder," she said, looking down on the swathed up figure of a princess of the royal house of Egypt, lying stretched out in the case by which we sat, "if this great lady, who lies so still and silent now, had any trouble with her love affair?"

"Perhaps she had more than one beau to her string, and not being allowed to have one took the other," I answered, "though from what we can see of her now she doesn't look as if she were ever capable of much fascination, does she?"

As I spoke I looked from the case to the girl and compared the swaddled-up figure with the healthy, living, lovely creature by my side. But I hadn't much time for comparison. My sweetheart had taken her watch from her pocket and was glancing at it.

"A quarter to twelve," she cried in alarm. "Oh, Dick, I must be going. I promised to meet papa at twelve, and whatever happens I must not keep him waiting."

She rose and was about to pull on her gloves. But before she had time to do so I had taken a little case from my pocket and opened it. When she saw what it contained she could not help a little womanly cry of delight.

"Oh, Dick! you naughty, extravagant boy!"

"Why, dearest? Why naughty or extravagant to give the woman I love a little token of my affection?" As I spoke I slipped the ring over her pretty finger and raised the hand to my lips.

"Will you try, whenever you look at that ring, to remember that the man who gave it to you loves you with all his heart and soul, and will count no trouble too great, or no hardship too hard, to make you happy?"