His tread lost some of its elasticity. He was short-circuiting
inside. Positively he began to look sort of sympathetic and
human.
"Westoby," he said at last, in a voice almost of awe, "when they
get up another world's fair you must have a building to yourself.
You're colossal, that's what you are!"
"I'm only in love," I said.
"Well, that's the love that moves mountains," he said. "If
anybody had told me that I should . . . " He stopped
irresolutely on the word.
"Oh, to think I have to stand for all that rot!" he bleated.
I was too wise to say a word. I simply motioned James to switch
the car around and back up. I shooed Jones into the tonneau and
turned the knob on him. He snuggled back in the cushions, and
smiled--yes, smiled--with a beautiful, blue-eyed, faraway,
indulgent expression that warmed me like spring sunshine. Not
that I felt absolutely safe even yet--of course I couldn't--but
still--
We ran into Freddy and Eleanor at the lodge gates. I had already
telephoned the former to expect us, so as to have everything fall
out naturally when the time came. We stopped the car, and
descended--Jones and I--and he walked straight off with Eleanor,
while I side-stepped with Freddy.
She and I were almost too excited to talk.
It was now or never, you know, and there was an awfully solemn
look about both their backs that was either reassuring or
alarming--we couldn't decide quite which. Freddy and I simply
held our breath and waited.
Finally, after an age, Jones and Eleanor turned, still close in
talk, still solemn and enigmatical, and drew toward us very
slowly and deliberately. When they bad got quite close, and the
tension was at the breaking point, Eleanor suddenly made a little
rush, and, with a loud sob, threw her arms round Freddy's neck.
Jones fidgeted nervously about, and seemed to quail under my
questioning eyes. It was impossible to tell whether things had
gone right or not. I waited for him to speak . . . I saw words
forming themselves hesitatingly on his lips . . . he bent toward
me quite confidentially.
"Say, old man," he whispered, "is there any place around here
where a fellow can buy an engagement ring?"