Leland stooped and kissed the shoulder. "When a man looks at you, he can see a hundred reasons for wanting you, and every one sufficient."
"Still, that was not all. If you do not tell me, I shall ask Aunt Eveline, and I think she knows. Don't you see that we must understand everything to-night?"
"Then it seemed to me it would be a horrible thing to marry you to Aylmer."
Carrie drew her breath in. "Oh," she said, "I always fancied it was that, and I could love you if it was only for saving me from him." Then she broke out into a little soft laugh. "Charley, it was the wrong shoulder you kissed."
"That is very easily set right," and the man bent down again. As he looked up, he called sharply to the horses, and shook the reins.
"I wonder how long we have been waiting here?" he said. "I suppose you haven't noticed that the team has stopped?"
They rode on again, in silence seldom broken, into a land of beatific visions. With a little wistful sense of regret, they saw Prospect at last rise black and shadowy against the big birch bluff. The teamsters, however, had not gone to sleep yet, and Leland, leaving the waggon to one of them, walked silently with Carrie towards the house. He stooped and kissed her as they crossed the threshold.
"From now on, it is home," he said. "I only want to please you, and you must tell me when I fail."
They went in together, and he lighted the big lamp. "You had supper with Mrs. Custer, but that is quite a while ago, and there should be a little fire yet in the cook-shed stove," he said. "Is there anything I can make you?"
Carrie laughed as she took off the big crumpled hat and flung it on the table.