"
"Oh, of course," Pen said, feeling rather relieved.
"Well, as you have pledged your word to her, give us another, will you
Arthur?"
"What is it?" Arthur asked.
"That you will make no private marriage--that you won't be taking a trip
to Scotland, you understand."
"That would be a falsehood. Pen never told his mother a falsehood," Helen
said.
Pen hung down his head again, and his eyes filled with tears of shame.
Had not this whole intrigue been a falsehood to that tender and confiding
creature who was ready to give up all for his sake? He gave his uncle his
hand.
"No, sir--on my word of honour, as a gentleman," he said, "I will never
marry without my mother's consent!" and giving Helen a bright parting
look of confidence and affection unchangeable, the boy went out of the
drawing-room into his own study.
"He's an angel--he's an angel," the mother cried out in one of her usual
raptures.
"He comes of a good stock, ma'am," said her brother-in-law--"of a good
stock on both sides." The Major was greatly pleased with the result of
his diplomacy--so much so, that he once more saluted the tips of Mrs.
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