"Do you love me, dear?" he asked.
Pen looked up into his eyes long and earnestly.
"I always have, Still Jim," she said.
"Do you want to know how I love you? Oh, sweetheart, I have so little to offer you!" he went on, brokenly, without waiting for Pen's answer, "except abiding love and passionate love and adoring love! And you are so very beautiful, Penelope. I've hungered for you for a long, long time, dear. Bitter, bitter nights and days up on the Makon and hopeless nights and days here on the Cabillo." His hands tightened on her shoulders. "Did you come back to me, sweetheart?"
"Still," whispered Pen, "I missed you so! I had to come back."
Then Jim drew Pen to him and folded her close in his strong arms and laid his lips to hers in a long kiss.
And the flag fluttered lightly behind them and the desert wind whispered above their heads:
"O yahee! O yahai!
Sweet as arrow weed in spring!"