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Burrell feigned astonishment at this reply: the hand of Mistress Cecil, he said, had long been betrothed to him; he confessed that he did not think Sir Robert would for a moment have hesitated to comply with his most reasonable request: he urged various motives for hastening the union, and finally entreated the baronet's permission to address his daughter herself on the subject.
As for Tommy, that young woman had conducted herself admirably during the sail, proving that she was discreet and fully as keen as was Harriet Burrell; and, though Tommy said very little on the subject uppermost in the minds of the two girls, the little girl was constantly on the alert. In the joy of sailing they forgot their noon meal.
To this Sir Robert offered no opposition; he was ignorant of the strength of Constantia's feelings with regard to Burrell. She had been affianced to him in her early girlhood, when much too young to have an opinion on the matter; and as the union had never been pressed upon her, she had not been called upon to state any objections to it.
Answer me, Sir Willmott Burrell. Where is the young man?" "Captain Dalton," replied Sir Willmott, "although your anxiety about this malignant convinces me that you are not the man my friendship thought you, yet I confess that I came here for the express purpose of forwarding his escape.
"Nonsense," said Burrell. "I know you too well for that." "You know me for good man, eh? An' you know I ain' try for bre'k up oder fellers' biznesse, never! Wal, I'm come to you now lak' wan good man to 'noder biccause I'm got bad trouble on de min', an' you mus'n't get sore." "There's no danger, Poleon. Let's have it. If there is anything I can do, you may count on me."
"I think I begin to understand," thought Harriet Burrell aloud. "What ith it that you underthtand?" demanded Tommy, pricking up her ears. "You know where we are going, don't you?" "I can make a close guess," replied Harriet, nodding brightly. "Oh, tell uth, tell uth," begged Tommy. Harriet shook her head. "I couldn't think of it. Miss Elting wishes it to be a surprise to you."
"I can hardly give it utterance and when I think upon it, I know not why I should intrude so vile a falsehood on your ear, my father; but Burrell seemed so real, so fearfully real in what he said, that I tremble still, and my voice comes heavily to my lips." She paused for breath, and pressed her clasped hands on her bosom.
"What is it, Miss Elting?" questioned Harriet, instantly discovering that something was wrong. "I I thought we should find some others here," replied the guardian hesitatingly. "I told you there wath no one here," answered Tommy. "Whom did you hope to find?" asked Harriet Burrell. "Some friends of mine.
If I am wrong, and he takes her from you well, may some other priest re-wed you two I sha'n't!" "Don't worry," laughed Burrell, ablaze at the thought. "You're the only preacher who'll kiss my bride, for I'm a jealous man, and all the Starks and all the fathers in the world won't get her away from me. Do you think she'll do it?" "A woman in love will do anything."
"The old man takes it hard," said Lee, shaking his head, and Burrell remarked: "I've seen things like that in army quarters, and the fellow who accidentally discharges his gun invariably gets a greater shock than his companion." "I call it damned careless, begging your pardon, Miss Necia," said Runnion.
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