"Give me a kiss, my love," he resumed; "and I'll tell you in
return that Mr. Clare has said-YES."
She attempted to thank him; but the sudden luxury of relief was too much
for her. She could only cling round his neck in silence. He felt her
trembling from head to foot, and said a few words to calm her. At
the altered tones of his master's voice, Snap's meek tail re-appeared
fiercely from between his legs; and Snap's lungs modestly tested his
position with a brief, experimental bark. The dog's quaintly appropriate
assertion of himself on his old footing was the interruption of all
others which was best fitted to restore Magdalen to herself. She caught
the shaggy little terrier up in her arms and kissed _him_ next. "You
darling," she exclaimed, "you're almost as glad as I am!" She turned
again to her father, with a look of tender reproach. "You frightened me,
papa," she said. "You were so unlike yourself."
"I shall be right again to-morrow, my dear. I am a little upset to-day."
"Not by me?"
"No, no."
"By something you have heard at Mr. Clare's?"
"Yes--nothing you need alarm yourself about; nothing that won't wear
off by to-morrow. Let me go now, my dear; I have a letter to write; and
I want to speak to your mother.
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