“To stay?” and he took a step nearer to her. “’Tana!”
“Don’t you want me to?” she asked. “I thought maybe—after what you said to me in the cabin—that day—”
“You’d better be careful!” he said. “Don’t make me remember that unless—unless you are willing to tell me what I told you that day—unless you are willing to say that you—care for me—that you will be my wife. God knows I never hoped to say this to you. I have fought myself into the idea that you belong to Max. But now that it is said—answer me!”
She smiled up at him and kissed the child happily.
“What shall I say?” she asked. “You should know without words. I told you once I would make coffee for no man but you. Do you remember? Well, I have come back to you for that. And see! I don’t wear Max’s ring any longer. Don’t you understand?”
“That you have come back to me—’Tana!”
“Now don’t eat me! I may not always be a blessing, so don’t be too jubilant. I have bad blood in my veins, but you have had fair warning.”
He only laughed and drew her to him, and she could never again say no man had kissed her.
“’Tana!” said the child, “’ook.” 357
She looked where the little hand pointed and saw all the clouds of the east flooded with gold, and higher up they lay blushing above the far hills.