pleasure.'

'I don't know how I can ever repay you.'

'Oh, don't say that,' he cried. 'It makes it so much harder for me to say
what I want to.'

She looked at him quickly and reddened. Her deep blue eyes were veiled
with tears.

'Don't you know that I'd do anything in the world for you?' she cried.

'I don't want you to be grateful to me, because I was hoping--I might ask
you to marry me some day.'

Margaret laughed charmingly as she held out her hands.

'You must know that I've been wanting you to do that ever since I was
ten.'

She was quite willing to give up her idea of Paris and be married without
delay, but Arthur pressed her not to change her plans. At first Margaret
vowed it was impossible to go, for she knew now that she had no money,
and she could not let her lover pay.

'But what does it matter?' he said. 'It'll give me such pleasure to go
on with the small allowance I've been making you. After all, I'm pretty
well-to-do. My father left me a moderate income, and I'm making a good
deal already by operating.'