"Never!"

"So you say now; but you don't know what may happen between this and
Christmas-day. Natalie, there is only one way of making sure that you
will never marry Richard. Marry _me_."

"Without papa's consent?"

"Without saying a word to anybody till it's done."

"Oh, Launce! Launce!"

"My darling, every word you have said proves there is no other way.
Think of it, Natalie, think of it."

There was a pause. Natalie dropped her needle and thread, and hid her
face in her hands. "If my poor mother was only alive," she said; "if I
only had an elder sister to advise me, and to take my part."

She was evidently hesitating. Launce took a man's advantage of her
indecision. He pressed her without mercy.

"Do you love me?" he whispered, with his lips close to her ear.

"You know I do, dearly."

"Put it out of Richard's power to part us, Natalie."

"Part us? We are cousins: we have known each other since we were both