"Sure, and then some!" he answered with a wave of his slender hand.

"You're a wizard----"

"Now the den?" he said briskly.

She followed him through the hall and into the large front corner room overlooking Avenue B and Eighteenth Street. The morning sun flooded the front and the afternoon sun poured into the side windows. The furniture was solid mahogany--a bed, bureau, chiffonier, couch and three chairs.

The windows were fitted with wood-paneled shutters, shades and heavy draperies. A thick, soft carpet of faded red covered the floor.

"It's a nice room, Jim, but I'd like to dust it for you," she said with a smile.

"Sure. I'm for giving you the right to dust it every morning, Kiddo, beginning now. Let's find a preacher tonight!"

She blushed and moved a step toward the door.

"Just a little while. You know it's been only ten days since we met----"

"But we've lived some in that time, haven't we?"

"An eternity, I think," she said reverently.

"I want to marry right now, girlie!" he pleaded desperately. "If that spider gets you in her den again, I just feel like it's good night for me."

"Nonsense. You can't believe me such a silly child. I'm a woman. I love you. Do you think the foolish prejudice of a friend could destroy my love for the man whom I have chosen for my mate?"

"No, but I want it fixed and then it's fixed--and they can say what they please. Marry me tonight! You've got the ring. You're going to in a little while, anyhow. What's the use to wait and lose these days out of our life? What's the sense of it? Don't you know me by this time? Don't you trust me by this time?"

She slipped her hand gently into his.

"I trust you utterly. And I feel that I've known you since the day I was born----"

"Then why--why wait a minute?"

"You can't understand a girl's feelings, dear--only a little while and it's all right."

He sat down on the couch in silence, rose and walked to the window. She watched him struggling with deep emotion.

He turned suddenly.

"Look here, Kiddo, I've got to leave on that trip to the mountains of North Carolina. I've got to get down there before Christmas. I must be back here by the first of the year. Gee--I can't go without you! You don't want to stay here without me, do you?"

A sudden pallor overspread her face. For the first time she realized how their lives had become one in the sweet intimacy of the past ten days.

"You must go now?" she gasped.

"Yes. I've made my arrangements. I've business back here the first of the year that can't wait. Marry me and go with me. We'll take our honeymoon down there. By George, we'll go together in the car! Every day by each other's side over hundreds and hundreds of miles! Say, ain't you game? Come on! It's a crime to send me away without you. How can you do it?"

"I can't--I'm afraid," she faltered.

"You'll marry me, then?"

"Yes!" she whispered. "What is the latest day you can start?"

"Next Saturday, if we go in the car----"

"All right,"--she was looking straight into the depths of his soul now--"next Saturday."

He clasped her in his arms and held her with desperate tenderness.

CHAPTER IX. ELLA'S SECRET

The consummation of her life's dream was too near, too sweet and wonderful for Jane's croakings to distress Mary Adams beyond the moment.

She had, of course, wished her friend to be present at the wedding--yet the curt refusal had only aroused anew her pity at stupid prejudices.

It was out of the question to ask her father to leave his work in the Kentucky mountains and come all the way to New York. She would surprise him with the announcement. After all, she was the one human being vitally concerned in this affair, and the only one save the man whose life would be joined to hers.

In five minutes after the painful scene with Jane she had completely regained her composure, and her face was radiant with happiness when she waved to Jim. He was standing before the door in the car, waiting to take her to the City Hall to get the marriage license.

"Gee!" he cried, "you're the prettiest, sweetest thing that ever walked this earth, with those cheeks all flaming like a rose! Are you happy?"

"Gloriously."

She motioned him to keep his seat and sprang lightly to his side.

"Aren't you happy, sir?" she added gayly.

"I am, yes--but to tell you the truth, I'm beginning to get scared. You know what to do, don't you, when we get before that preacher?"

"Of course, silly----"

"I never saw a wedding in my life."

She pressed his hand tenderly.

"Honestly, Jim?"

"I swear it. You'll have to tell me how to behave."

"We'll rehearse it all tonight. I'll show you. I've seen hundreds of people married. My father's a preacher, you know."

"Yes, I know that," he went on solemnly; "that's what gives me courage.

I knew you'd understand everything. I'm counting on you, Kiddo--if you fall down, we're gone. I'll run like a turkey."

"It's easy," she laughed.

"And this license business--how do we go about that? What'll they do to us?"