"
"Like Master Wheatman, sir, you are too good to a poor girl." She said it
gratefully and humbly, and indeed so she felt, but no man could listen to
her meek words without pride.
"I'm glad I turned footpad, in spite of you," said I to my dear mistress.
"I can never thank you enough," was the simple reply. "It was wicked in
me to accept the sacrifice, but in God's good providence it was not made
in vain."
"Then I come into the firm," said Master Freake smilingly, and when,
catching the meaning of his metaphor, she smiled brightly back at him, and
held out her hand, he bowed over it formally, but very kindly, and kissed
it. She blushed prettily, and then, after a moment's hesitation,
stretching it out to me, said, "But I must not forget the original
partner." I took the splendid prize in my rough, red, farmer's hand, and
kissed it reverently. The touch of my lips on her sweet, smooth flesh made
me tremble, and I knew the madness was creeping over me, but I gritted my
teeth, and our eyes met again. The blush had gone, but not the smile. It
was not now, however, the smile of a frank maiden but of an inscrutable
and dominating woman.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153