"I will get him out," she said; "I will take care of him. I should die
with nothing to do; and I promised grandpa----"
She could get no farther, for the rush of memories which came over
her, and seating herself upon the ground close to the new grave, she
laid her face upon it, and sobbed piteously: "Oh, grandpa. I'm so lonely without you all; I almost wish I was lying
here in the quiet yard."
Then a storm of tears ensued, after which Maddy grew calm, and with
her head still bent low, did not hear the rapid step approaching, the
mans step coming down the grassy road, coming past the marble
tombstones, on to where that wasted figure was crouching upon the
ground. There it stopped, and in a half whisper called, "Maddy!
Maddy!" Then indeed she started, and lifting up her head saw before
her Guy Remington. For a moment she regarded him intently while he
said to her, oh so kindly, so pityingly.
"Poor child, you have suffered so much, and I never knew of it till a
few days ago."
At the sound of that loved voice speaking thus to her, everything else
was forgotten, and with a cry of joy Maddy stretched her hands toward
him, moaning out: "Oh, Guy, Guy, where have you been, when I wanted you so much?"
Maddy did not know what she was saying, or half comprehend the effect
it had on Guy, who forgot everything save that she wanted him, had
missed him, had turned to him in her trouble, and it was not in his
nature to resist her appeal. With a spring he was at her side, and
lifting her in his arms seated himself upon her mother's grave; then
straining her tightly to his bosom, he kissed her again and again.
Hot, burning, passionate kisses they were, which took from Maddy all
power of resistance, even had she wished it, which she did not. Too
weak to reason, or see the harm, if harm there were, in being loved by
Guy, she abandoned herself for a brief interval to the bliss of
knowing that she was beloved, and of hearing him tell her so.
"Darling Maddy," he said, "I went away because you sent me, but now I
have come back, and nothing shall part us again. You are mine; I claim
you here at your mother's grave. Precious Maddy, I did not know of all
this till three days ago, when Agnes' letter found me almost at the
Rocky Mountains. I traveled day and night, reaching Aikenside this
morning, and coming straight to Honedale. I wish I had come before,
now that I know you wanted me. Say that again, Maddy. Tell me again
that you missed and wanted me."