the greatness of the thought rose a greater thought--he would not
so prove himself.

She did not speak. Instead, in a glow of spirit and flesh, she
reached out to his left hand and gently tried to remove it from
the rein. He did not understand; but when she persisted he
shifted the rein to his right and let her have her will with the
other hand. Her head bent over it, and she kissed the teamster
callouses.

For the moment he was stunned.

"You mean it?" he stammered.

For reply, she kissed the hand again and murmured:

"I love your hands, Billy. To me they are the most beautiful
hands in the world, and it would take hours of talking to tell
you all they mean to me."

"Whoa!" he called to the horses.

He pulled them in to a standstill, soothed them with his voice,
and made the reins fast around the whip. Then he turned to her
with arms around her and lips to lips.

"Oh, Billy, I'll make you a good wife," she sobbed, when the kiss
was broken.

He kissed her wet eyes and found her lips again.