Catching sight of them standing there hand in hand, she was about to retreat into her room again, but Mr.Lilburn spoke: "Congratulate me, Cousin Elsie, upon having won the heart of the sweetest lady in the land; or if that be too strong, one of the sweetest." "I do, I do," Elsie said, coming forward and bestowing a warm embrace upon Annis, "and I could not have asked anything better, seeing it will bring one whom I so dearly love into our immediate neighborhood." Even as she spoke they were joined by other members of the party, the news of the state of affairs was instantly conjectured by them, and joyful congratulations were showered upon Cousin Ronald, tender embraces and words of love upon Annis.
Mr.and Mrs.Dinsmore were there, but the young couples who had left the older people that morning and gone off to explore other parts of the Fair had not returned; but presently a slight commotion on deck, followed by the sound of their voices, told of their arrival; in another minute they were in the saloon, and Croly, leading Rosie to her mother, said: "Will you give this dear girl to me, Mrs.Travilla?
She doesn't deny that she loves me, and she is dearer to me than words can tell." "Then I cannot refuse," returned the mother, with emotion, "knowing as I do that you are all a mother could ask in a suitor for her dear daughter's hand.

But do not ask me to part from her yet; she is--you are both--young enough to wait at least a year or two longer." "So I think," said Rosie's grandfather, coming up and laying a hand on her shoulder.

"It would be hard to rob my dear eldest daughter of the last of her daughters; to say nothing about grandparents and brothers." "Well, sir, I thank both her mother and yourself for your willingness to let her engage herself to me, but I at least shall find it a little hard to wait," said Croly.

"I am well able to support a wife now, and--don't you think we know each other well enough, and that early marriages are more likely to prove happy than later ones ?" "No, I don't agree to any such sentiment as that; old folks may as reasonably look for happiness--perhaps a trifle more reasonably--than young ones." The words seemed to be spoken by someone coming down the cabin stairway, and everybody turned to look at the speaker; but he was not to be seen.
"Oh, that was Cousin Ronald!" exclaimed Violet, with a merry look at him, "and no wonder, since he has gone courting again in his latter days." "What! is that possible!" exclaimed Mr.Hugh Lilburn, in evident astonishment.

"And who?
Ah, I see and am well content," catching sight of Annis' sweet, blushing face.