"You don't mind if I tell it?" laughing. "I know just how a woman feels when she's dying to retail a bit of gossip. But this is uncommon."
"No," I replied, "I expect father's spreading it abroad."
"So would I if I had such a boy." Then he went out and slammed the door.
We stood and looked at each other. Ruth's eyes filled with tears that slowly rolled down her cheeks.
"Oh, Ruth, don't! don't!" I cried, and my arms were around her. Her face was buried on my breast.
"Oh, how can I let you go!" The tender accent pierced me to the heart.
It is curious what people do in times of great emotion or anguish. She released herself presently, wiped her eyes, and said, "We must clear the table. I am glad you liked the Johnny cake."
"It was delicious, only I was so full of the—" the bad news, I was about to say, but paused.
"Of course, it is splendid, and you will see so much of the world. There are so many beautiful places that we have read about. And it will be—Norman, you will be a gentleman. But you won't—" her voice trembled and broke.
"If you mean that I will not forget, you may be sure of that, and I shall never outgrow anything, not even dear old Chicago, even if other cities were paved with gold," I replied emphatically.