“My beautiful love! You will really come? When? At once?”

“At⁠—Oh, no, no!”

“Darling, the sooner the better. I understand ’tis a great step to expect you to take in a hurry, but I assure you ’tis wisest. Can you come tomorrow?”

Her big eyes dilated.

“No! No! I⁠—oh, I cannot leave Dicky so soon!” She ended with a sob.

“But, Lavinia, my dearest! You surely do not want to stay with him?” he cried.

“Yes I do!” she answered. “I⁠—I don’t want ever to leave him!”

This blighting speech left him gasping.