"See here, Ida, I've been thinking about ourselves--" "Do you ever think of anything else?
I don't," she said, half unconsciously.
-- "And I've made up my mind to take the bull by the horns--" "Is that meant for my father or yours ?" "Both," he replied.

"We've been so happy this last fortnight--is it a fortnight ago since I got you to tell me that you cared for me?
Lord! it seems a year sometimes, and at others it only seems a minute!--that we haven't cared to think of how we stand; but it can't like this forever, Ida.

You see, I want you--I want you all to myself, for every hour of the day and night instead of for just the few minutes I've the good luck to snatch.

Directly this affair of my governor's is finished I shall go to him and tell him I'm the happiest, the luckiest man in the world; I shall tell him everything exactly how we stand--and ask him to help us with your father." Ida sighed and looked grave.
"I know, dearest," he said, answering the look.

"But your father has to be faced some time, and I--Ida, I am impatient.