The master rose; M’liss looked up.
“Does Aristides come to school to-day?”
“I don’t know.”
“Are you going back? You’d better,” she said.
“Well!—perhaps I may. Good-by!”
He had proceeded a few steps when, as he expected, she called him back. He turned. She was standing by the tree, with tears glistening in her eyes. The master felt the right moment had come. Going up to her, he took both her hands in his, and looking in her tearful eyes, said gravely:—
“M’liss, do you remember the first evening you came to see me?”
M’liss remembered.
“You asked me if you might come to school, and I said—”
“Come!” responded the child softly.