Everybody laughed, and Cornelia and Louise hurried out for the sandwiches and chocolate that had been forgotten in the excitement; but the father got up and went over to his son with a beaming face. Laying his hand on the well shoulder, he said in a proud tone: “I always knew you’d come out right, Carey. I always felt you had a lot of sense. And then your mother was praying for you. I knew you couldn’t miss that. I’m proud of you, son!”
“Thanks dad! Guess I don’t deserve that, but I’ll try to in the future.”
But just here Harry created a diversion by saying importantly: “Max, don’t you think you oughtta call up the police station and tell ’em ’bout that car? Somebody else might steal it you know.”
While Maxwell and Harry were busy at the telephone and Cornelia and Louise were in the kitchen getting the tray ready, Carey and his father and Grace Kendall had a little low-toned talk together around the couch. When Cornelia entered, and saw their three heads together in pleasant converse, her heart gave thanks, and Louise close behind her whispered, “Nellie, He did answer, didn’t He?”
A minute later, as they stood in the living room, Cornelia with the big tray in her hands, Harry whirled around from the telephone, and shouted.
“Hurrah for our interior decorator!” They all laughed and clapped their hands; and Maxwell hurried to take the tray from her, giving her a look that said so much that she had to drop her lashes to cover the sudden joy which leaped into her face. Just for the instant she forgot the crimson and white lady and was completely happy.
Maxwell deposited the tray on the sideboard, and took her hand.
“Come,” he said gently, “I have something to say to you that won’t wait another minute.”
He drew her out on the new porch, behind the madeira vines that Carey had trained for a shelter while more permanent vines were growing, and there in the shadow they stood, he holding both her hands in a close grasp and looking down into her eyes which were just beginning to remember.
“Listen,” he said tenderly. “They have been saying all sorts of nice things about you, and now I have one more word to add, ‘I love you!’ Do you mind—dearest!”