"You ban't doing this out of revenge, however?" she asked.
"For naught but love—that I'll swear."
"To be loved by a fine man—a go-by-the-ground creature like me!"
"And never no female better fit for it."
"I'll take you, Thomas; but if you change your mind after you've slept on it, I shan't think no worse of you. Only this I'll say, I do love you, and I have loved you a longful time, but paid no attention to it, not understanding."
"Then praise the Lord for all His blessings, I'm sure."
He held her close in his arms and they kissed each other. She clung to him fervently.
"Now, if you'll take the basket, I'll go back and buy another bottle of sherry wine," she said.
"Not at all. But we mustn't shatter the man at one blow. He'll want more than pretty drinking when he hears about this. I'll traapse down for another bottle, and you go home under my umbrella; and change every stitch on you, and drink something hot, else you might fall ill."
"Ah! That's love! That's love!" she said, looking up at him wet-eyed.