"
"Certainly you will," agreed Philip promptly. "It is your right to take
all the time you choose. I can't put that ring on you until it means a
bond between us. I'll shut my eyes and you try it on, so we can see
if it fits." Philip turned his face toward the west woods and tightly
closed his eyes. It was a boyish thing to do, and it caught the
hesitating girl in the depths of her heart as the boy element in a man
ever appeals to a motherly woman. Before she quite realized what she was
doing, the ring slid on her finger. With both arms she caught Philip and
drew him to her breast, holding him closely. Her head drooped over his,
her lips were on his hair. So an instant, then her arms dropped. He
lifted a convulsed, white face.
"Dear Lord!" he whispered. "You--you didn't mean that, Elnora! You----
What made you do it?"
"You--you looked so boyish!" panted Elnora. "I didn't mean it! I--I
forgot that you were older than Billy. Look--look at the ring!"
"'The Queen can do no wrong,'" quoted Philip between his set teeth. "But
don't you do that again, Elnora, unless you do mean it. Kings are not so
good as queens, and there is a limit with all men. As you say, we will
look at your ring. It seems very lovely to me. Suppose you leave it
on until time for me to go. Please do! I have heard of mute appeals;
perhaps it will plead for me. I am wild for your lips this afternoon. I
am going to take your hands."
He caught both of them and covered them with kisses.
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