On the evening of the seventh day, the missionary was reading at the table in the cabin. Dan sat across from him, and Ruth was at Dan’s side. Dan was writing up the log; she watched him, and smiled fondly when his big hand tightened clumsily upon the pen. At last she got up and went lightly to the companion and ascended to the deck. Dan marked her going, looked after her, and bent again to his task.
After a little, old Flexer came down from the deck and stood uncertainly at the foot of the companion. Dan looked across at him and asked:
“What’s up, Mr. Flexer?”
“I don’t rightly know,” Flexer said, and he took off his cap and scratched his head. “Miss Ruth tell’t me to come down. She looked like as if there was something in her mind.”
“Ruth? What for?”
“I don’t rightly know,” said Flexer again; and then he heard a step behind him and moved awkwardly aside as Marvin, the cook, came down with Ruth upon his heels. Ruth stopped at the foot of the companion and looked at Dan, and at the missionary. Marvin and old Flexer stood together, uncertain and uneasy.
Dan and the missionary got up. They could not take their eyes from Ruth. There was a glory in her countenance. And while they stood, she crossed to Dan’s side and looked up at him.
Dan could not speak; but the old missionary asked: “What is it, Ruth? What is in your mind?”
She took Dan’s hand, and with him faced the man of the church. And she said softly, her face a lovely flame:
“This, Father. This is in my mind. If Dan—”