He pressed her hand. “Auntie, I didn’t know how much you’ve loved me all these years. How love opens one’s eyes!”
“You have a high temper, plenty of pride, and are given to looking on the dark side of things too quickly. You lack poise of character and sureness of touch yet, but with it all, yours is a masterful nature.”
“One you think that a perfect woman could love?”
“There are no perfect women; but I ’ll match you against any woman I know. So there, now, take courage.”
“I will,” he gravely answered.
He hurried to his office and read his mail. There were two letters retaining his services for jury work in important cases. His heart leaped at the sign of coming success. What a new meaning love gave to every event in life.
He turned to his books, and began immediately a searching study of every question involved in these cases. He would carry the court by storm. He would lead the jury spellbound by his eloquence to a certain verdict. How clear his brain! He felt he was alive to his finger-tips, and argus-eyed.
He worked hour after hour without the slightest fatigue or knowledge of the flight of time. He looked up at last with surprise to find it was night, and was startled by the voice of the Preacher calling him from below.
“What’s the matter with you? Mrs. Durham sent me to find you. She was afraid you had gone up on the roof and walked off.”
“I ’ll be ready in a minute, Doctor,” he called from the window.