You are more to me than
anything in the world, Nance, and I have never loved any other
woman--except my mother. Do you believe me?"
"Yes--oh, yes! I cannot help believing you. Oh, I wish sometimes that
Tom was dead. When I was very little I used to pray each night to God to
kill him."
"I'll teach him to leave you alone."
"I must go now. Grannie is waiting for her medicine."
He took the little hand under his arm and pressed it close to his side,
and they pushed on down the dark lanes till they came in sight of the
lights of La Closerie.
Then he bent into the sun-bonnet and sealed his capture of the virginal
fortress by a passionate kiss on the tremulous little lips. And she,
with the frankness of a child, reached up and kissed him warmly back.
"Good-night, dear, and God bless you!" he said fervently.
"Can you find your way in the dark?"
"There is the moon. I shall be all right."
She bent her head and ran on towards the lights. He watched her go in at
the door, and turned and went back along the lane, and his heart was
high with the joy that was in him.
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