“Does any one else know I have returned? A fine question to ask when I have been in the village three or four hours.”
“That time? Impossible! What have you been doing?”
“Circulating among the neighbors. Moffat and I have been here a long time. I went home and the folks acted crazy. I thought mother would go demented. I never knew she thought so much of me before. As luck would have it, Captain Parks was in, and he made a great time.”
“Very glad to see you of course?”
“I suppose so; he just gave his ‘umph!’ and said he was beginning to respect me. A little while after, Edwards, hearing, I suppose, that I had arrived, came in. He gave me one of the heartiest grips I ever had, and told me that before I stopped to see my parents, I should have knelt down and thanked God for my preservation.”
“How like him! What did you answer?”
“I told him I had already done so. He said it gave him pleasure to hear it, and he hoped I would remember the One who never forgot me. Well, after a little talk, he smiled in that pleasing way of his, and said he was just thinking there was some one else who would like to see me. I asked him who he could mean, of course, not knowing who it was; but he looked so mischievous, I know I blushed and showed that I knew well enough who he meant. So after some more conversation, I left and came here.”
“How long ago?”
“A good while, indeed. I came up as silently as possible, intending to give you a surprise. When I came up to the door, I saw you standing in it, and supposed you had seen me, so I laughed, called you by name and approached. You did not reply, and I was frightened to see you look so.”
“To see me look how?”