Perhaps you have been all
the dearer to me because you seemed so hopelessly unattainable."
He drew her head down on his breast; his great hand patted her hot
cheek; his honest brown eyes gazed earnestly, wistfully into hers. "I
love you," he whispered. "All that I have--all that I am--all that I
hope to be--I offer to you, Shirley Sumner; and in the shrine of my
heart I shall hold you sacred while life shall last. You are not
indifferent to me, dear. I know you're not; but tell me--answer me--"
Her violet eyes were uplifted to his, and in them he read the answer
to his cry. "Ah, may I?" he murmured, and kissed her.
"Oh, my dear, impulsive, gentle big sweetheart," she whispered--and
then her arms went around his neck, and the fullness of her happiness
found vent in tears he did not seek to have her repress. In the safe
haven of his arms she rested; and there, quite without effort or
distress, she managed to convey to him something more than an inkling
of the thoughts that were wont to come to her whenever they met.
"Oh, my love!" he cried happily, "I hadn't dared dream of such
happiness until to-day. You were so unattainable--the obstacles
between us were so many and so great--"
"Why to-day, Bryce?" she interrupted him.
He took her adorable little nose in his great thumb and forefinger
and tweaked it gently.
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