"I don't want to live that long," said Eve thoughtfully. "I don't want to live after every one I've cared for has gone."
"So you think now," replied the Doctor, with a faint shrug of his shoulders, "but wait till you are old. I've seen many snuffed out, my dear, but there's only one or two I recall who went willingly. The love of life is a strong passion. Bless my soul, what's that?"
The Doctor turned toward the lilac hedge and the neighboring cottage, listening. Eve laughed, merrily.
"'We shall sleep, but not forever, There will be a glorious dawn! We shall meet to part, no, never, On the resurrection morn!'"
sang Zephania, in her piping voice. The Doctor smiled. Then he nodded sideways in the direction of the voice.
"Have you seen our host this morning?" he asked.
"I wonder," he chuckled, "if I hadn't better go over and administer a bromide. These fashionable dinner-parties--" He shook his head eloquently.
"I don't believe he's that bad," responded Eve. "I wish you'd tell me what you think of him, Doctor."
"Mr. Herrick? Well, aside from his intemperance--"
"No, I'm in earnest, please. Afterwards I'll tell you why I ask--perhaps."
"I think him a very nice young man, Miss Eve, don't you?"
"I wouldn't call him strictly handsome; he doesn't remind me of the copper-engraved pictures of Lord Byron, who, when I was a lad, was considered the standard of masculine beauty, but he looks like a man, which is something that Byron didn't, to my thinking."
"Lord, bless me, yes! I'd stake my word on his being that if nothing else."
"Even if he is a mining man?" asked Eve, with a smile.
"H'm, well, I guess there are honest mining men as well as honest lawyers."
"Yes, I think he's honest," said Eve, thoughtfully, "but as to sincerity--"
"Perhaps they are," answered Eve, doubtfully. She was silent for a moment, possibly considering the question. Then she looked across at the Doctor with a little flush in her cheeks. "You see," she said, "he--he's asked me to marry him."
The Doctor rolled his cane under his palms and nodded his head slowly several times. Eve waited. At last--
"You don't seem much surprised," she said, questioningly.
"Surprised? No. I'd have been surprised if he hadn't asked you to marry him, my dear. It's what I'd have done in his place."