Chapter IX: Part 9

"No, sir, the stables never suffered. Miss Tonia asked after Colon and the others, sir, and the little dorg went near mad with joy. He tried to run into the fire to find Miss Tonia. Trick ain't like other dorgs."

"I hear, Jim, you saved Miss Toney--you know we shan't forget that."

Jim grinned broadly, he was going faster than any regulation speed, so he could not do more.

"That wasn't nothing, sir. I was so mad that they didn't move the shoot quicker, I thought her ladyship must have stuck half-way, so I ran up a ladder, and though it wasn't quite in the right place I managed, by stretching out, to hold Miss Tonia for a minute till the shoot came. If it hadn't been for that she couldn't have held on, how she did it at all, sir, is a miracle, but she's got such a cool head has Miss Tonia, 'tain't another like her anywhere, sir."

"You're right, Jim, there isn't another like her, anywhere."

"Thought you had started for foreign parts, sir."

"I haven't started yet--I may go next week--or I may not. Tell me how the fire began, Jim." And Jim's ideas on this point lasted till they reached Waycott Hall gates.

"All right, Jim, I'll walk from here--I don't want to disturb the ladies--they are not expecting me. Go back for Sir Evas." Lewis sneaked into his own house like a thief. His brain seemed spinning round with a multitude of ideas, as if it were on fire. He mentally saw Toney on that ledge and--he muttered some savage words about himself for not being there, adding, "Hang that Jim, he'll be unbearable for the rest of his life."

No one was expecting him, the hall was deserted, he walked through it and from habit made for his own study. He wanted to calm himself before seeing them all; of course Toney was upstairs--perhaps in bed. Oh! he could wait now. If he told anyone he was here, Aunt Honoria would claim him, and he should have to hear that horrid story again. He opened the door and stepped in. He walked to the fireplace--then---- Good heavens! there was Toney on his sofa, fast asleep, and there too was Trick, who pricked up his ears and barked!

Toney woke up with a start, and with her right hand rubbed her eyes.

"Gracious stars! Uncle--oh, it's----" She sank down again because her legs refused to carry her.

"It's only Lewis," he said sitting down beside her. "Toney--Toney, I've come back to tell you what a fool I've been."

"You haven't yet killed all the lions in Somaliland, have you?" said Toney trying to laugh in her old manner; but the laugh died away before the look in Lewis' eyes.

"Let me tell you quick, Toney." He took her hand, and Toney felt she was dreaming, for never had he looked like that before, never had he held her hand in this manner. "I went away because I loved you--yes, I have always loved you, and you only, but that beastly money came in the way! Lady Dove said I wanted your money, and my horrid pride couldn't swallow the gold! I sacrificed everything to it; then came the day when I couldn't stand any more, I couldn't live and see you every day and say nothing when I wasn't sure--of your feelings. I wasn't worthy of you, Toney; I might have trusted you, I might have known that the money would never stay with you, and now I've heard; but, oh, my Toney, will you believe that I was coming before I knew; I was coming to swallow the whole fortune, and the _on dits_ of the whole county, only your uncle told me, and, anyhow, I ask you now, will you be my wife, not for the money, but for yourself? If you say I don't deserve you, if you say you don't care enough for me, I'll go off again and wait--and then, another thing, Toney, you thought about Maud--how could you? I expect it was Lady Dove again, and now you have just saved her life, and nearly--Toney--Toney." He put his strong arm round her and she did not resist. "Speak to me and tell me--and then I'll face all those Society lions."

Then Toney just laid her weary head on his shoulder, and there was a lump in her throat and a great, great gladness in her heart.

"Don't go away, ever again--I've been very, very miserable, and I hated myself because I thought you belonged to Maud---- Is it true, quite, quite true?"

"It's awfully true--Toney, you won't go on believing about Maud?"

"Oh, gracious stars! no!" cried Toney lifting up her face that was so pink, and her eyes that were so bright; "because she's just been engaging herself to the Honourable Edward Lang!"

"Maud?" shouted Lewis, and they both laughed together. "So you knew--when?"

"Oh, here, just before I went to sleep. Then all the horrid feelings went away--and dear, dear Lewis, I sort of felt you would come back, and I was so happy--and you won't mind my being rather poor, though Aunt Dove says you ought to marry money; but even for you I could not keep it, because it was all dedicated long ago to the poor and needy."

"My darling, I've proved I don't care, though in a stupid way---- Toney, say you forgive me for hurting you, and now--I claim the gift you promised me long ago from the cottage window."

"Oh, Lewis, was it that? and I never guessed!" Then a great content fell on them both. "I said I would give you what you asked, and I think that I always have loved you, though I never knew it till--you went away! Oh! there's uncle--let me go--and tell him; he sort of guessed it before I did!"

"He's more sense than I have," said Lewis laughing.

Then they stood up with shining eyes waiting for Sir Evas, and Toney whispered,

"I was so lonely, so lonely, and the work seemed so hard, and now you'll never leave me and we'll work together; I see now I can't do it alone, and I do hope 'That is the way God would have us to go,' as dear St. Francis said whenever he was starting on a journey!"

"We'll go, God helping us, all the way together, my Toney," said Lewis as they stood together "and as for the lions, they may eat each other up. Come and tell Aunt Honoria, and Maud and the others, they will all be so glad!"

"They've been so awfully good to me, but--I am not _quite_ sure about Aunt Dove's joy!"

"Hang her," muttered Lewis.

As they went out hand-in-hand together, they laughed the old happy laugh, and met Sir Evas face to face at the hall door.

"What the Dickens!" he began. "By Jove! is _that_ it?"

"Yes, you dear, ducky uncle," said Toney, throwing her arms round his neck and giving him a bear's hug, "yes, _that's_ it!"

THE END.

Printed in Great Britain at
_The Mayflower Press, Plymouth_. William Brendon & Son, Ltd