At this Mrs. Ruthven grew indignant.
"You are prejudiced!" she cried. "I will not discuss the matter farther with you. I wish no one to speak to me against Jack. He is as dear to me as Marion herself."
The young man drew a deep breath. "I am silenced, Aunt Alice. But I wish to speak to you about Marion. She is no longer a child, but a young lady."
"Yes, she is now eighteen," answered Mrs. Ruthven slowly. "But to me she seems a child still."
"Well--er--at what age did you marry, aunt?"
"At eighteen."
"Then, Aunt Alice, you cannot be surprised if I have thought of Marion as my future wife. I love her warmly and sincerely."
At this abrupt declaration Mrs. Ruthven was considerably surprised.
"Why, St. John, do you wish to marry that child?" she exclaimed.
"Why not? She is eighteen."
"Yes, but I had never thought of her as old enough to be married. Have you spoken to her?"
"Yes," he returned slowly, and with a cloud on his face.
"And what did she say?"
"Nothing--that is, she was taken by surprise and did not wish to discuss the matter at present."
Mrs. Ruthven drew a breath of relief. "She was sensible. Have you any reason to think that she loves you?"
"I think she will soon. I am not conceited, Aunt Alice, but I think I have a good appearance and--I am a Ruthven."
"You are much older than she, St. John."
"I am, but a man of my age is still a young man."
"I should not object if she loved you, but I have never seen any indications of it."
"Will you let her know that you favor my suit?"
At this Mrs. Ruthven shrugged her shoulders.
"But I am not sure that I do," she returned slowly.
"Have you heard anything to my discredit?" he demanded stiffly.
"No, no, St. John; but don"t be precipitate. Let the matter rest for the present."
"Well, if you insist upon it, Aunt Alice," he said, his face falling.
"It seems to me best."
"But still, Aunt Alice, if Marion allows her affections to drift in another direction----"
"I do not think she will, for the present. She is more interested in the war than in anything else. Why, if I would allow it, she would go off and offer her services as a nurse."
"Don"t let her go, aunt--I beg of you."
Mrs. Ruthven looked at her nephew curiously.
"What makes you so afraid of this war, St. John?"
"Afraid? I am not afraid exactly," he stammered. "I was thinking of dear Marion. It would be horrible for her to put up with the hardships, and such sights!"
"But somebody must bear such sights and sounds. War is war, and our beloved country must be sustained, even in her darkest hour."
He trembled and turned pale, but quickly recovered.
"What you say is true, Aunt Alice. I have wanted to go to the front, but my mother positively refuses her permission. She is in mortal terror that the Yankees will come to our plantation and loot the place in my absence."
"Do you think you can keep them from coming?"
"No, but I can--er--I can perhaps protect my mother."
"If you went off, she could come over here and remain with me."
"She wishes to remain at home. The old place is very dear to her. It would break her heart to have the enemy destroy it."
"I should not wish our place destroyed. Yet the only way to keep the enemy back is to go to the front and fight them."
"Well--I presume you are right, and I shall go some time--when I can win my mother over," said St. John lamely.
He wanted to speak of Marion again, but, on looking across the garden, saw his cousin and Jack approaching. Soon the pair came up and Marion greeted St. John with a slight bow.
"We have been out rowing, mother," said Jack, as he came up and kissed Mrs. Ruthven. "It was lovely on the bay."
"Did you go far?"
"We went over to Hoskin"s beach. Marion rowed part of the way."
"I hope you had a nice time," said St. John stiffly, turning to Marion.
"We had a lovely time," answered the girl. "Jack is the best rower around here."
"Humph! Why, he"s only a boy!" sneered the spendthrift.
"Yes, I am only a boy, St. John, but I reckon I can row as good as you,"
replied our hero warmly. He had not forgotten the encounter on the road.
"Do you, indeed?"