But I own John Jago frightened me; oh my! he did frighten me! My heart was in my mouth, and my knees shook under me.

I begged and prayed of him to get up and go away.

No; there he knelt, and held by the skirt of my gown.

The words poured out from him like--well, like nothing I can think of but water from a pump.

His happiness and his life, and his hopes in earth and heaven, and Lord only knows what besides, all depended, he said, on a word from me.