It was a very ordinary question, but Miss Bryant turned scarlet.
"I--I don't know," she faltered.
He put his arm around her. "I give in," he said; "annexation is the
most desirable thing in the world--when shall it take place?"
Katherine raised her head timidly. "Say it, sweetheart," he whispered
tenderly.
It happened at this moment that Emperor arrived in search of his
master. Rex was sitting on the front steps and declined to take in
his card. Then the shrieking, howling barking ball rolled into the
vestibule, and Ross made a dash for the door. With considerable effort
he got Rex into the back yard, and locked Emperor into the vestibule.
Then he went back to Katherine.
He tried to speak lightly, but his voice trembled with earnestness:
"Dearest, this entire affair has been coloured, and suggested by, and
mixed up with dogs. I think now there will be an interval of peace for
at least ten minutes, and I am asking you to marry me."
Rex raised his voice in awful protest, and Emperor replied angrily to
the challenge, as he raged back and forth in the vestibule, but Robert
heard Katherine's tremulous "Yes" with a throb of joy which even the
consciousness of warring elements outside could not lessen. The little
figure against his breast shook with something very like a giggle, and
Katherine's eyes shining with merriment met his with the question:
"What on earth shall we do with the dogs?"
Robert laughed and drew her closer: "It's strictly international, isn't
it? Canada and the United States quarrel----"
"And Ireland arbitrates!" said Katherine.
Three months later, in the drawing-room on Jefferson Avenue, to the
accompaniment of flowers, lights, and soft music, the treaty was
declared permanent. There was a tiny dark coloured footprint on the
end of Katherine's train, which no one appeared to notice, and a white
silk handkerchief carefully arranged hid from public view a slightly
larger spot on the shining linen of the bridegroom, where Emperor had
registered his enthusiastic approval of his master's apparel.
But the rest of the committee, in pale green gowns, were bridesmaids,
while Emperor and Rex, resplendent in new collars, and having
temporarily adjusted their difference as long as they were under guard,
had seats of honour among the guests.