ghed.

"He may think he's dreaming, so I'll blow for him again." And she did.

"There, now," she said. "He'll come."

It was well she did blow again, for the old miller was not at home and
old Hon, down at the cabin, dropped her iron when she heard the horn
and walked to the door, dazed and listening. Even when it came again
she could hardly believe her ears, and but for her rheumatism, she would
herself have started at once for Lonesome Cove. As it was, she ironed
no more, but sat in the doorway almost beside herself with anxiety and
bewilderment, looking down the road for the old miller to come home.

Back the two went into the kitchen and Hale sat at the door watching
June as she fixed the table and made the coffee and corn bread. Once
only he disappeared and that was when suddenly a hen cackled, and with a
shout of laughter he ran out to come back with a fresh egg.

"Now, my lord!" said June, her hair falling over her eyes and her face
flushed from the heat.

"No," said Hale. "I'm going to wait on you."

"For the last time," she pleaded, and to please her he did sit down, and
every time she came to his side with something he bent to kiss the hand
that served him.

"You're nothing but a big, nice boy," she said. Hale held out a lock
of his hair near the temples and with one finger silently followed the
track of wrinkles in his face.

"It's premature," she said, "and I love every one of them." And she
stooped to kiss him on the hair. "And those are nothing but troubles.
I'm going to smooth every one of _them_ away."

"If they're troubles, they'll go--now," said Hale.

All the time they talked of what they would do with Lonesome Cove.

"Even if we do go away, we'll come back once a year," said Hale.

"Yes," nodded June, "once a year."

"I'll tear down those mining shacks, float them down the river and sell
them as lumber."

"Yes."

"And I'll stock the river with bass again."

"Yes."

"And I'll plant young poplars to cover the sight of every bit of uptorn
earth along the mountain there. I'll bury every bottle and tin can in
the Cove. I'll take away every sign of civilization, every sign of the
outside world."

"And leave old Mother Nature to cover up the scars," said June.

"So that Lonesome Cove will be just as it was."

"Just as it was in the beginning," echoed June.

"And shall be to the end," said Hale.

"And there will never be anybody here but you."

"And you," said June.

While sh