“Oh, never mind that; I’ll make the pilot-house answer for the rock. I’ll just throw myself against it while you can hide inside, and then hear me cry:
“‘Come one, come all! this rock shall fly From its firm base as soon as I.’”
“Brave, bravo! my gallant knight. I’ll swap my domino for a laurel crown, to deck the brow of my brave champion.”
“There, there, Scottie, I cry enough! Come, let us join our friends--they are waiting for us yonder. Don’t you see the queen is beckoning to you?”
“When I received Lottie’s note requesting me to come to her immediately, you may guess how my heart fluttered--for I thought something serious had surely occurred, and but very few moments elapsed before I was at the gate in front of Mr. Rockland’s residence. It was a considerable walk from the drug-store to his residence, and I was compelled to halt in order to rest a moment before entering, as I wished to appear composed. While I was leaning against a tree wiping the perspiration from my face and panting with fatigue, I saw Lottie coming rapidly toward me. She had been watching for me.
“‘Oh, Eddie, it’s all settled!’ she exclaimed, as she caught both my hands in hers. I made a move as if I were going to take her in my arms. She gently pushed me back. ‘Don’t be quite so familiar, Eddie--can’t you see papa looking at us? Oh, such a storm as we have had here to-day! Papa ordered me to go away from his home because I wouldn’t let him tell you that I wanted our engagement broken off.”
“‘Well, why didn’t you take him at his word? you knew where you could find another home.’
“‘I did, but the good, dear old darling relented before I could pack my things, and fell to hugging and kissing me, and wouldn’t let me go.’
“‘Lottie, Mr. Rockland is really a good man, and I respect him very much--mainly because he loves you.’
“‘Indeed he is! and my heart was most broken when he ordered me to go away; but did you wish to have our engagement broken off?’
“‘No, you know I did not! What could have put such an idea as that into your mind? Mr. Rockland did not tell you I wished it ended, did he?’
“‘He didn’t say that you said so, but he said you were willing to cancel it if I would consent to it.’
“‘Ah, I see now how it is: Mr. Rockland put the case very strong in favor of his side. That was a good stroke of policy, you see, Lottie; you didn’t believe for a moment that I wanted to have the engagement canceled?’