The strong arms were around her, the big shoulder to lean on, the dear voice to call her "little girl." The year of separation vanished from their thoughts, and the long years of companionship opened bright and glorious before them.
"I came this afternoon," he said at length, "but I saw another man coming.

He got here first.

I thought--" "Ross! You didn't! And you've left me to go without you all these hours!" "He looked so confident when he went away that I was jealous," Ross admitted, "furiously jealous.

And then your mother was here, and then those cackling girls.

I wanted you--alone." And then he had her, alone, for other quiet, happy moments.