"How sweet and calm it is!" answered Nellie.
"Nellie," he said, looking down, and then turning round and boldly facing her, "did I promise to tell you all my secrets?"
"You said you always did," she answered, hesitating a little at his strange tone.
"Well, then, I have discovered that I have a secret which I have not told you." Then, lowering his voice and squeezing her hand very hard, he said, softly, "I have found out that I love Christina!"
"Walter, oh, dear Walter, how delightful it would be!" she exclaimed, kissing him warmly.
"You would like it, then?" he asked. "If only I can gain her love."
"No doubt of that," said Nellie confidently; "she could not help loving you, Walter!"
"Little goose," he said, smiling happily, "I'm not everybody's brother."
"There's the bell," said Nellie.
They got up quickly, much more quickly than they would have done if they had not been talking secrets, and hurried across the rick-yard.