“Then—I’ll go with you,” Sally capitulated, but she added quickly, “If David will promise not to love any other girl until I’m old enough to marry him.”
Over Sally’s head, cradled against her mother’s breast, Enid Barr and David Nash exchanged a long look, as if measuring each other’s strength. David knew then, and Enid meant him to know, that Sally’s mother had far different plans for her daughter than any that could possibly include David Nash.
“I’ll always love you, Sally,” David said gravely, as he rose from the sofa.
Sally struggled out of her mother’s clasp and sprang to the boy’s side just as he was reaching to the little center table for his hat. “Where are you going, David? Don’t leave me yet! Oh, David, I can’t bear to let you go! How can I write you—where? Tell me, David! Oh, I love you so I feel like I’ll die if you leave me!”
Defiant of the tight-lipped disapproval of Mrs. Stone and of the anxious signal which Enid’s blue eyes were flashing him, David put his arms about Sally and held her close, while he bent his head to kiss her.
“You can write me here, general delivery. I’ll stay here for a while, I think, until I can make plans—”
“My husband is in Capital City now, David,” Enid interrupted eagerly. “I am going to have him intercede with the authorities for you. You can return to Capital City as soon as you like. There’ll be no trouble, I promise you. It is the only thing we can do to repay you for your great kindness toward—our daughter.”
“Then you can go back to college, David,” Sally rejoiced, her eyes shining through tears. “And when you’ve graduated and—and gotten your start, we can be married, can’t we?”
“If you still want me, Sally darling,” David answered gravely. “Thank you, Mrs. Barr. You’ll—you’ll try to make Sally happy, won’t you?”
“I promise you she’ll be happy, David,” Enid answered, giving him her hand. “May I speak with you alone a moment?” she added impulsively, and linking her arm in his drew him toward the door that opened into the little foyer hall.