She could not accept it at once; she decided to herself to wait a
short time. Ere many seconds had passed she rejoiced that she had
done so as he went on:

'I hope you'll give me a say before that husband of yours comes
along. He might be a blue-ribbonite; and it wouldn't do to start
such a shanty for rot-gut!'

Again a cold wave swept over her. The absolute difference of feeling
between the man and herself; his levity against her earnestness, his
callous blindness to her purpose, even the commonness of his words
chilled her. For a few seconds she wavered again in her intention;
but once again his comeliness and her own obstinacy joined hands and
took her back to her path. With chagrin she felt that her words
almost stuck in her throat, as summoning up all her resolution she
went on:

'It would be for you I would have it built, Leonard!' The man sat up
quickly.

'For me?' he asked in a sort of wonderment.

'Yes, Leonard, for you and me!' She turned away; her blushes so
overcame her that she could not look at him. When she faced round
again he was standing up, his back towards her.

She stood up also. He was silent for a while; so long that the
silence became intolerable, and she spoke:

'Leonard, I am waiting!' He turned round and said slowly, the