“I'd like you all right, I guess,” said Lem.
“Fine!” said Johnnie. “That's good, you see, because I 'm going to be your father from now on. And how would you like Miss Henrietta for a mother?”
“I'd like that fine!” said Lem, and he let his hand fall to Henrietta's hand and grasped it. “I'd like that bully!”
He looked up at Henrietta.
“Are you goin' to be?” he asked wistfully. “I wish you would be; are you?”
Somehow Johnnie Alberson was kneeling at the other side of the boy then, and when his arm went around Lem it went around Henrietta too. “Are you, Henrietta?” Johnnie asked.
“Oh, yes—yes!” said Henrietta. “I am, Lem, because I love you,” and then, much lower, she added, “and Johnnie.”
Miss Susan wiped her eyes on the edge of her apron.
Harvey, too, seemed to be affected, for he kept his back turned on the little group by the door; but what he said was:
“Well, I got quite a long walk ahead of me, so I guess I 'll just slice off another slice o' ham to sort o' eat on the way down. I don't never seem able to get my fill o' ham since I was a saint.”