“That—that——”
“Might as well tell me.”
“I thought you were in love with Christine.” Alison spoke very low.
“Why, you were ’way off, weren’t you?” said Neal without embarrassment.
“Was I?”
“I should think so. Laws, child, you don’t reckon I’d make love to Steve’s girl.”
“I don’t mean that I thought you did, but——”
“That I would like to? Well, I never had any such notion. There used to be a little foolish slip of a girl that I used to like to look at and knock around the place with, but she was only a child and, when I told her brother I’d give my two eyes for her, he said she’d not waked up yet, and that I’d better wait till I got back. That was just before we went off to jine the boys. I didn’t get but one letter from her, but it was a good one, especially the last words: ‘May you came back safe to Alison.’”
“I said John and Christine, too,” put in Alison, quickly.
“Yes, but I left them out when I wanted to feel good. I took a lot of comfort in that letter, and the picture, too, though it was a kind of comic, but I could supply what it hadn’t and it brought you before me and did me good. Now, you see I’ve got back and the little girl has grown up some, but she’s got funny notions, romantic ones. I’m perfectly willin’ she should have ’em, if it amuses her, and if she wants to take that way for me to show her how much I think of her I’ve no objections. She can talk to me any way she likes, too, so long as she doesn’t expect me to answer back in the same lingo. I’ll go hunt Steve and bring him back if he’s above ground, if she will do as she says, give me her hand; only I want her heart with it.”