Agnes wrote her letter, pouring out her full heart to her mother, and telling her that she must delay her coming no longer. With the letter safely hidden in her jacket she took her way over to the M’Cleans’, where every one was full of preparations for Archie’s departure, and where he was so in demand by this and that one that Agnes had not a chance to make her good-bys till she started for home, when Archie declared his intention of walking part way with her.
They were both rather silent till it came to the moment of parting. Along the path through the quiet woods they had spoken of commonplace things, of the weather, of the news of the neighborhood, but at the parting of their paths, Archie stopped suddenly, and caught Agnes’s hands in his. “Ye like no other lad so well as me, Agnes; tell me that for my comfort.”
“I like no other lad half so well,” said Agnes, steadily, “and I shall, oh, I believe I shall greet for you, Archie, when I come home from meeting next Sabbath.” The tears were in her eyes as she spoke.
“It will be very different when I come back,” said Archie, “and maybe there’ll be no Agnes Kennedy to greet for me then,” he added, unsteadily.
“No Agnes Kennedy? Do you think I am going to die young?” Agnes’s voice was awe-stricken.
“No, but I may hear that you have changed your name.”
“Oh, is that all? You scared me, Archie.”
“And though ye care naught for any other lad, you’ll no be giving me that promise to wait for me? If ye would but do that, Agnes, I would go away a happier lad.”
“I cannot make that promise.” He was still holding her hands, but now she drew them away. “Suppose you should forget me, Archie, and should like another girl better than me, I would be sitting here sorrowing for you and you would never come, or suppose I should see some one I liked better, then it would be a grief to us both, for I should hold to my promise and I should be false in doing it.”
Archie looked at her wonderingly. “How wise a lass is,” he sighed, “so much wiser than lads are about such things. Then will you make this promise? If neither you nor I shall see another that shall be liked better, we will wed each other when I come back to you?”