"
"Yes, I kissed her," he said easily.
[Illustration 8]
"Aunt Mary had also had her eyes open."
"Well, what did you do it for?"
"I'm very fond of her;" the words came forth with great apparent
reluctance.
"Fond of her!" said Aunt Mary with great contempt.
Jack lifted his eyes quickly at the tone of her comment.
"_Fond_ of her! Do you think a girl like that is the kind to be fond of!
Why ain't you in _love_ with her?"
The young man felt his brains suddenly swimming. This surpassed his
maddest hopes.
"Shall I say that I am in love with her?" he cried into the ear-trumpet.
Aunt Mary raised up in bed,--her eyes sparkling.
"Jack," she said, almost quivering with excitement, "_are_ you in love
with her?"
"Yes, I am," he owned, wondering what would come next, but feeling that
the tide was all his way.
Aunt Mary collapsed with a joyful sigh.
"My heavens alive," she said rapturously, "seems like it's too good to be
true! Jack," she continued solemnly, "if you're in love with her you shall
marry her. If there's any way to keep a girl like that in the family I
guess I ain't goin' to let her slip through my fingers not while I've got
a live nephew. You shall marry her an' I'll buy you a house in New York
and come an' live with you."
Jack sat silent, but smiling.
"Do you think she will want to marry me?" he asked presently.
"You go and bring her to me," said the old lady vigorously.
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