Page:Life's little ironies (1894).pdf/212

"'I suppose you wean to?’

“'Well, as to that—’ His eyes rested on her face, and hers on his. He wondered how he could have been such a fool as not to follow up Hannah. ‘My sweet Hannah!’ he bursts out, taking her hand, not being really able to help it, and forgetting Miliy and Unity and all the world besides. ‘Settled it? I don’t think I have

"'Hark! gays Hannah.

“'What? says Tony, letting go her hand.

“'Surely I heard a sort of little screaming squeak under that tar-cloth? Why, you’ve been carrying corn, and there's mice in this wagon, I declare !? She began to haul up the tails of her gown.

“'Oh no; ’tis the axle,’ said Tony, in an assuring way. ‘It do go like that aometimes in dry weather,’

"'Perhaps it was... . Well, now, to be quite honest, dear Tory, do you like her better than me? Because —because, although I've held off so independent, I'll own at last that I do like ’ee, Tony, to tell the truth ; and I wouldn’t say no if you asked me— you know what.’

“Tony was so won over by this pretty offering mood of a girl who had been quite the reverse (Hannah bad a backward way with her at times, if you can taind) that he juat glanced behind, and then whispered very soft, ‘I haven't quite promised her, and I think I can get out of it, and ask you that question you speak of.’

“'Throw over Milly ?—all to marry me! How delightful!? broke out Hannah, quite loud, clapping her hands.

“ At this there was a real squeak—an angry, spiteful squeak, and afterwards a long moan, as if something had broke ite heart, and a movement of the wagon cloth.