Mason's house was
not far enough away, without your speaking of 'mills.'"
"I only suggested mills in case you did not want to marry me,"
said Waitstill.
"Walk up to the door with me," begged Ivory.
"The horse is all harnessed, and Rod will slip him into the
sleigh in a jiffy."
"Oh, Ivory! do you realize what this means?"--and Waitstill clung
to his arm as they went up the lane together--"that whatever
sorrow, whatever hardship comes to us, neither of us will ever
have to bear it alone again?"
"I believe I do realize it as few men could, for never in my
five-and-twenty years have I had a human creature to whom I could
pour myself out, in whom I could really confide, with whom I
could take counsel. You can guess what it will be to have a
comprehending woman at my side. Shall we tell my mother? Do say
'yes'; I believe she will understand.--Rod, Rod! come and see
who's stepping in the door this very minute!"
Rodman was up in his bedroom, attiring himself elaborately for
sentry duty. His delight at seeing Waitstill was perhaps slightly
tempered by the thought that flashed at once through his
mind,--that if she was safe, he would not be required to stand
guard in the snow for hours as he had hoped.
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