And now she was all of a flutter. "Oh, you love me? Do you—do you?" She clasped her hands and he took them and drew her toward him.
"Do I? Why, I love you till I haven't got any sense. Didn't you see me out there in the rain yesterday?" She shook her head, looking down, hiding her eyes from him. "Didn't you see me there? I didn't have sense enough to come in."
She snatched away her hands and stood looking at him. "Would you live a lie, like the man that married your aunt? Would you?"
"Oh, he was a sport."
"A 'sport!'" she gasped. "What's that?"
"A fool that thinks he's got a sure thing when he hasn't. A man who might risk his home on the turn of a card. I'm not that sort of a fellow. I never loved any girl but you, and I never can love any other."
"Oh, can it be true?" she cried, gazing at him; and neither of them saw Old Jasper, who at this moment came through the gap. He halted and stood perfectly still looking at them.
"You know it is true," said Tom. He put his hands upon his breast. "Why, when I first saw you it seemed—seemed that they were lighting candles all around in here. And Lou, you must be my wife. Don't you know it is true?"
"Yes, I know," she replied, with her hand upon her heart, as if to calm it; "yes, I know, but there is somethin' a flutterin' here and I'm afraid it will fly away. But—but I love you so!"
In his arms he seized her and slowly Old Jasper came to them as they stood, lost to all earth, and about them he put his brown arms. They sprang apart and he took his daughter to his breast; and the boy stood there waiting, striving to say something.