"If I am to be married I should like to be married properly." She got up, with a heightened colour and a little toss of her head, and left the room, and the two men looked at each other.
"Talk to her, my lad," said Cotherstone at last.

"Of course, girls think such a lot of--of all the accompaniments, eh ?" "Yes, yes--it'll be all right," replied Bent.

He tapped Cotherstone's arm and gave him a searching look.

"You're not keeping anything back--about your health, are you ?" he asked.
Cotherstone glanced at the door and sank his voice to a whisper.
"It's my heart!" he answered.

"Over-strained--much over-strained, the doctor says.