"Yes," said Tom, with more energy, "I do know that. I know it too well."
"Great Mr. Wisdom!" said she mockingly. "Then can't you understand—don't you see?"
He looked at her in bewildered surprise. She was smiling tenderly in his face.
"Elsie!" he cried.
She let her hands fall in his.
"I don't want you to go," she whispered, "never—never!"
"You love me—you will marry me?"
She did not speak, but she made no resistance when Tom caught her to his heart and rained kisses on her face, utterly bewildered and unable to comprehend anything except that happiness had descended upon his long night at length.
But Elsie raised herself, pushed him off and said, with a dash of her old wickedness:
"I'll tease you to death, Tom!"