“You bet I will!” he declared, “An’ I’ll never let you out of my sight. I ain’t more’n half myself when you’re away. I need you worse’n you can ever need me, Dey. You’re just the heart of me.”
“Don’t take your arms away,” she begged, “They are so strong, so safe. Listen, dear:—I want you to pick me up,—I’m not too heavy, am I?—Pick me up and carry me. I want to be close to you,—closer than I ever was before. You are so big,—so powerful. And—I feel so weak. I’m a little restless; that’s all,” she added hastily, “And it will quiet me to be held.”
He gathered her gently to his breast. Her arms clasped his neck; her face was buried in his shoulder to stifle the cry of agony evoked by the movement of lifting. Then, carrying her closely to his heart, Conover began to pace the room, bearing the girl as easily and as lightly as though she were a baby.
The tenderness of his caress now held no roughness. The motion and the reliance on his perfect strength quieted her suffering and gave her the sense of utter peace she had known when she fell asleep in his arms on the Adirondack hilltop.
“I am very happy!” she sighed, “Do I tire you?”
“Not much you don’t, you little bit of a girl!” he laughed, “I could carry you always. An’ I’m goin’ to. Right close in my heart. Say, there was a man out in the other room when I came. A minister. He said a queer thing. Somethin’ ’bout bein’ carried on the ‘strong arm of Christ.’”
“I think I know what he meant,” said Desirée, softly.
“H’m! Sometime when you’re better I’ll get you to explain it to me. I’d rather talk ’bout you, just now. D’you remember that time I sat by the fire an’ held you like this while you went to sleep?”
“Do I remember?” she answered, “There has never been one hour I’ve forgotten it. It made me feel so safe from harm; so sure, so happy. Perhaps,—yes, I’m sure—that’s the way one must feel when—”
“Are you thinkin’ ’bout what that preacher said?” asked Caleb, miserably, “Don’t, girl! It’ll be years and years before you ever need to think ’bout those things. A month from now we’ll both laugh over the scare I had.... Your eyes get wonderfuller all the time, Dey. I never knew quite how lovely they were till now. There’s a light in ’em like they was lookin’ at somethin’ a common chap like me couldn’t see.”