"Whatever led you to suppose that I would know or meet you without my mother's knowledge ?" Then she started toward the entrance.
"One minute!" cried Laddie.
A leap carried him to her side.

He caught her hands and held them tight, and looked straight into her eyes.

Then he kissed her hands over and over.

I thought from the look on her face he might have kissed her cheek if he had dared risk it; but he didn't seem to notice.
Then she stooped and kissed me, and turned toward home, while Laddie and I crossed the woods to the west road, and went back past the schoolhouse.

I was so tired Laddie tied the strings together and hung my shoes across his shoulders and took me by the arm the last mile.
All of them were at home when we got there, and Miss Amelia came to the gate to meet us.