* * * * *

Land of Nippon, I'm excited! I believe he's said it!

The reason I think so is, I saw them late yesterday evening coming in
from a long walk down the Calverton road, where there's a beautiful
place for courters. When they got to the gate they stopped and talked
and talked. Then he walked to the door with her, still holding his hat
in his hand, and though it was dark I could feel something different. I
was so nervous you would have thought I was the one.

I was over by the lilacs; but they didn't see me. I didn't like to move.
It might have been ruinous, so I held my breath and waited.

When they got to the door they stopped again, and presently he held out
his hand to say good-bye. The way he did it, the way he looked at her
made me just know, and I got right down on my knees under the
lilac-bush, and when he'd gone I sang, "Praise God, from whom all
blessings flow." Sang it loud.

I didn't care who heard. I wasn't telling why I was thankful. Just
telling I was. Oh, Mary Martha Cary, to think of her being your really,
truly Aunt! The very next thing to a mother!




XIV

THE HURT OF HAPPINESS