“I saw him fall,” Frank said; “indeed I was fortunately close to him at the time, and helped him to pick himself up.”
“Did you indeed, sir?” Carry asked earnestly, “and was it you really who saved his life?”
“I do not know that I actually saved his life,” Frank said, smiling, “but I certainly helped him up.”
“Father! father!” Carry cried, flying into the next room and calling up the stairs. “Come down, come down at once; here is the gentleman who saved your life.” Then she rushed back into the shop, but this time to the same side of the counter as that on which Frank was standing, seized his hand in hers, and looked up into his face with those large eyes of hers. “Oh, I am so glad you have come, I wanted so much to thank you; so, so much. Father has told me all about it, and I know that I owe his life to you.”
“Don’t say anything more about it,” Frank said; “I saved your father’s life by the simple accident that I happened to be close to him when he fell, and fortunately having my wits about me, picked him up in time.”
“It is very well for you to say so, sir,” Carry said, “but you will never make me feel differently towards you; you saved father’s life at the risk of your own, and how can I ever thank you enough?” And Carry looked up so gratefully and earnestly, that Frank did as most other young fellows would have done in his place, bent down and kissed the bright face lifted up to his. Carry returned the kiss as an impulsive child might have done; it was the saviour of her father’s life that she thanked, not a good-looking young man, and flushed and excited as she was, the colour hardly deepened upon her cheek.
“There, we are quits now,” Frank said, “so the burden is off your mind.”
At this moment Stephen Walker entered. He was evidently even more nervous and embarrassed than usual.
“Oh, sir,” he began, when Frank interrupted,—
“Pray say no more about it, Mr. Walker. I was lucky enough to be close to you, and did what any one else would have done under the circumstances. Your daughter has already thanked me most amply for you both,” and he glanced for a moment at Carry, who this time coloured up hotly; “so please let us say no more about it,” and he shook Stephen Walker warmly by the hand. As he did so, Stephen Walker, by a great effort, overcame his habitual nervousness, and said, quietly,