Neighbors who had heard of her return came up the lane to welcome a happy Mary Malone.

The dead dreariness of winter melted before the spring sun, and in Dannie's veins the warm blood swept up, as the sap flooded the trees, and in spite of himself he grew gladder and yet gladder.
He now knew how he had missed Mary.

How he had loathed that empty, silent cabin.

How remorse and heart hunger had gnawed at his vitals, and he decided that he would go on just as Mary had said, and let things drift; and when she was ready to have the talk with him she had mentioned, he would hear what she had to say.

And as he thought over these things, he caught himself watching for furrows that Jimmy was not making on the other side of the field.