Part 2 (2/2)
This was too much for her, and she sobbed frankly.
”Oh, Morton! How could you! How could you!--And now you've got to go away!”
”There now--don't cry--s.h.!.+--they'll hear you.”
She did hush at that.
”And don't feel so bad--I'll come back some time--to see you.”
”No, you won't!” she answered with sudden fierceness. ”You'll just go--and stay--and I never shall see you again!”
He drew her closer to him. ”And do you care--so much--Viva?”
”Of course, I care!” she said, ”Haven't we always been friends, the best of friends?”
”Yes--you and Aunt Rella have been about all I had,” he admitted with a cheerful laugh. ”I hope I'll make more friends out yonder. But Viva,”--his hand pressed closer--”is it only--friends?”
She took fright at once and drew away from him. ”You mustn't do that, Morton!”
”Do what?” A shaft of moonlight shone on his teasing face. ”What am I doing?” he said.
It is difficult--it is well nigh impossible--for a girl to put a name to certain small cuddlings not in themselves terrifying, nor even unpleasant, but which she obscurely feels to be wrong.
Viva flushed and was silent--he could see the rich color flood her face.
”Come now--don't be hard on a fellow!” he urged. ”I shan't see you again in ever so long. You'll forget all about me before a year's over.”
She shook her head, still silent.
”Won't you speak to me--Viva?”
”I wish----” She could not find the words she wanted. ”Oh, I wish you--wouldn't!”
”Wouldn't what, Girlie? Wouldn't go away? Sorry to disoblige--but I have to. There's no place for me here.”
The girl felt the sad truth of that.
”Aunt Rella will get used to it after a while. I'll write to her--I'll make lots of money--and come back in a few years--astonish you all!--Meanwhile--kiss me good-by, Viva!”
She drew back shyly. She had never kissed him. She had never in her life kissed any man younger than an uncle.
”No, Morton--you mustn't----” She shrank away into the shadow.
But, there was no great distance to shrink to, and his strong arms soon drew her close again.
”Suppose you never see me again,” he said. ”Then you'll wish you hadn't been so stiff about it.”
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