his shoulders and looked steadily into his eyes. "Let me tell you. I've
never told you once during these six happy months--oh, how happy, I fear
to think how happy, too much joy, too deep, too wonderful, I'm afraid
sometimes--but let me tell you what I see, looking back into those old
days--how far away they seem already and not yet three years past--I
see a lad so strange, so unlike all I had known, a gallant lad, a very
knight for grace and gentleness, strong and patient and brave, not
afraid--ah, that caught me--nothing could make him afraid, not Perkins,
the brutal bully, not big Mack himself. And this young lad, beating them
all in the things men love to do, running, the hammer--and--and fighting
too!--Oh, laddie, laddie, how often did I hold my hands over my heart
for fear it would burst for pride in you! How often did I check back my
tears for very joy of loving you! How often did I find myself sick with
the agony of fear that you should go away from me forever! And then you
went away, oh, so kindly, so kindly pitiful, your pity stabbing my heart
with every throb. Why do I tell you this to-day? Let me go through it.
But it was this very pity stabbing me that awoke in me the resolve that
one day you would not need to pity me. And then, then I fled from the
farm and all its dreadful surroundings. And the nurse and Dr. Martin,
oh how good they were! And all of them helped me. They taught me.
They scolded me. They were never tired telling me. And with that
flame burning in my soul all that outer, horrid, awful husk seemed to
disappear and I escaped, I became all new."

"You became yourself, yourself, your glorious, splendid, beautiful
self!" shouted Allan, throwing his arms around her. "And then I found
you again. Thank God, I found you! And found you for keeps, mine
forever. Think of that!"

"Forever." Mandy shuddered again. "Oh, Allan, I'm somehow afraid. This