and how he embraced you."

And then, before I was aware of her, she leaped up and was kneeling on
her knees by the head of my bed, and her lips were kissing mine, and her
cheeks were against my face and her tears running down my cheeks and neck
and bosom while she confessed all. In our peaceful little chamber there
was a wild outpouring of vows of love and words of fear, of plans for the
future, and long tales of how it all had come to pass.

I had with mine own eyes seen it in the bud and, unwittingly indeed, had
fostered its growth. How then could I be dismayed when now I beheld the
flower?

Their meeting this morning had been as the striking of flint and steel,
and if sparks had come of it how could they help it? And I took Ann's
word when she said that she would have flown into the arms of her
beloved, if father and mother and a hundred more had been standing round
to warn her.

All she said that night was full of perfect and joyful assurance, and it
took hold of my young soul; and albeit I could not blind myself, but saw
that great and sore hindrances stood in the way of my brother's choice,
I vowed to myself that I would smooth their path so far as in me lay.

All was now forgotten that I had taken amiss that evening in the returned
wanderer; and when I gave Ann a last kiss that night how well I loved her
again!