Part 31 (1/2)

”Looks like everythin' has been said,” Jasper broke in; and then upon the young fellow he cast a kindly look. ”She couldn't hide that she loved you, sir.”

”I am thankful for that. But everything has not been said, Mr.

Starbuck--two more words are necessary, one from you and one from her mother.”

”I didn't know how to try to hide that I loved him,” said Lou. ”I didn't want to try.” She went over to Tom and he put his arm about her.

”Do you think her mother will object, sir?”

Jasper looked away to hide the laughter that had jumped into his countenance. ”Oh,” said he, ”I reckon she can be persuaded, and here she is.”

Margaret and Mrs. Mayfield came out of the house. ”Margaret,” said the old man, ”I reckon these young folks air goin' to git married.”

Margaret held out her arms and Lou ran to her, and with her head on her mother's bosom, she declared that she never could have thought it so sweet to be ashamed.

”Suthin' called me back from the mill, and it was to see this,” said the old man.

Lou turned to Tom. ”You won't love me any the less because I couldn't hide that I loved you, will you?”

”Oh, there couldn't be any less, and in the whole world there isn't room for more,” Tom replied; his aunt standing near, looking with misty eyes upon him.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”WELL,” MARGARET EXCLAIMED, ”I NEVER WAS SO SURPRISED.”]

”Well,” Margaret exclaimed, ”I never was so surprised.”

Jasper ducked his head and with his hands behind him walked off. But soon he came back and replied: ”No, but I reckon if it hadn't happened you'd a been a leetle mo' surprised.”

She flouted at him and said to Tom: ”Goin' to git married?”

”Yes, madam, not next year, month, week--but now.”

”Now!” exclaimed Jasper, with a clap of hands.

”My dear,” Mrs. Mayfield said to Lou, ”you need not be afraid to trust him. He won't live a lie.”

Tom took the girl by the hand. ”Come with me now, please. Let us go where the spirit boy used to play with you.”

”Yes. And now I know that all the time it was you--you lived under the rock. Come on. We will go up among the hills an' make like we are lost.”

And as they were walking away, Jasper said to his wife: ”Margaret, that reminds me of a Sunday, a long time ago.”

”Yes, Jasper;” and then she said to Mrs. Mayfield: ”But law me, it don't take 'em long to fall in love an' git married these days.”

”No,” Jasper replied, ”not with the help of a right peart woman.”

”Now, Jasper,” she said, ”you air sh.o.r.ely enough to provoke a saint, bein' a man. But, Miz Mayfield, this has all come about so sudden that--”

Jasper snorted and she scowled at him. ”Don't pay no attention to him, Miz Mayfield. Yes, so sudden that I don't hardly know what to say. But Lou is a good child an' thar ain't but one pity about her, an' that is she hain't got much l'arnin', though she did go to school fur two year over at Dry Fork.”

”She will learn, Mrs. Starbuck, and he will be proud of her.”

”I'm so glad to hear you say that, Miz Mayfield. An' you ain't disapp'inted at yo' nephew's choice?”