She went on upstairs out of sight.
Mingled with her feeling of relief that she would never again be
slighted and belittled by Mrs. Chichester, she was hurt to the heart
by the attitude of cold indifference with which her aunt treated
her.
She was indeed overjoyed to think now it was the last she would ever
see of the old lady.
Alaric held out his hand frankly:
"Jolly decent of ye to offer to stay here--just to keep us goin'--
awfully decent. You are certainly a little wonder. I'll miss you
terribly--really I will."
Peg whispered:
"Did ye know about that five thousand pounds when I'm twenty-one?"
"'Course I did. That was why I proposed. To save the roof." Alaric
was nothing if not honest.
"Ye'd have sacrificed yeself by marryin' ME?" quizzed Peg.
"Like a shot."
"There's somethin' of the hero about you, Alaric!"
"Oh, I mustn't boast," he replied modestly. "It's all in the
family."
"Well, I'm glad ye didn't have to do it," Peg remarked positively.
"So am I. Jolly good of you to say 'No.' All the luck in the world
to you. Drop me a line or a picture-card from New York. Look you up
on my way to Canada--if I ever really go. 'Bye!" The young man
walked over to the door calling over his shoulder to Jerry: "See ye
lurchin' about somewhere, old dear!" and he too went out of Peg's
life.
Pages:
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386