The best thing for her was to try to turn the current of her thoughts, and thus by degrees tame down her excited feelings.
'Well, darling, then we will have the story, if Charley will let us.

Go and fetch it, dearest.' Katie raised herself from her mother's bosom, and, going across the room, fetched the roll of papers to Charley.

As he prepared to take it she took his hand in hers, and, bending her head over it, tenderly kissed it.

'You mustn't think,' said she, 'that because I say nothing, I don't know what it is that you've done for me; but I don't know how to say it.' Charley was at any rate as ignorant what he ought to say as Katie was.

He felt the pressure of her warm lips on his hand, and hardly knew where he was.