You
must put your head down for I'll have to whisper. That's the way. Now!
She's just madly in love with you, Big Bear. And she is quite, quite free
to tell you so. There! And I reckon she's not Death's property any more.
She's just--yours."
The narrative ended in Merefleet's arms.
* * * * *
A few weeks later Quiller the younger looked up from a newspaper with a
grin.
"Mr. Merefleet's married our little missie, dad," he announced. "I saw it
coming t'other day."
And old Quiller looked up with a gleam of intelligence on his wrinkled
face.
"Why!" he said, with slow triumph. "If that ain't what I persuaded him
for to do, long, long ago! He's a sensible lad, is Master Bernard."
A measure of approval which Merefleet would doubtless have appreciated.
* * * * *
The Sacrifice
CHAPTER I
It had been a hot day at the Law Courts, but a faint breeze had sprung up
with the later hours, blowing softly over the river. It caught the tassel
of the blind by which Field sat and tapped it against the window-frame,
at first gently like a child at play, then with gathering force and
insistence till at last he looked up with a frown and rose to fasten it
back.
It was growing late. The rose of the afterglow lay upon the water,
tipping the silvery ripples with soft colour.
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