t. "Are you that happy you
feel you can never lose a bit of the glad feeling?"

Camilla held her tighter, and kissed her again. "I've thought about
it a little," Pearl said after a while, "and I thought perhaps that
would be how people felt, and then it didn't matter if it was all
dark and gloomy outside, or even if the wind was howlin' and rattlin'
the windows, you wouldn't mind, for all the time you would be singin'
inside, just bustin' for joy, and you'd feel that contented sort of
feelin', just as if the sun was pourin' down and the birds singin'
and the hills all white with cherry-blossoms; is that anything like
it, Camilla?"

"It is very like that, Pearl," she said.

"And, Camilla," she went on, "do you feel like you could die to save
him from any trouble or pain, and even if he did go wrong--Jim never
will, I know, but I am just supposin'--even if he did go wrong you'd
never go back on him, or wish you hadn't took him, but you'd stay
with the job and say to yourself: 'He's my man, and I'll stay by him,
so I will!'"

Camilla nodded her head.

Pearl's eyes suddenly filled with tears.

"And, Camilla, do you ever think if you were to lose him it wouldn't
be so bad as' never to have had him, and even if the time came that
he had to go, you could bear it, for you'd know that somewhere you'd
find him again waitin' for you and lovin' you still, just the same;
and even if it was long, long years ago that you were left alone,
you'd never forget him, but you'd always know that somewhere, up in
the air or in the clouds or maybe not so far, he was there dear as
ever, and you'd always keep thinkin' in your heart: 'He's the only
man for me.'"

Camilla's arms tightened around her, and Pearl felt something warm on
her cheek.

"How do you know all this?" Camilla whispered, after a while.

Pearl laughed and wiped her eyes on her handkerchief. "I don't know,"
she said. "I never knew that I did know it all till just now. I've
thought about it a little."

Camilla laughed, too, and went over to the wash stand to bathe her
eyes, while Pearl, in wonder, inspected the dress.

"Now, Pearlie Watson, I want you to do me a favour," said Camilla
gaily.

"As many as you like," was Pearl's quick answer.

"I want you for my bridesmaid. You are my good luck, Pearl. Remember
you sent Jim to me. If it hadn't been for you I might never have met
him."

Pearl's eyes sparkled with delight, but no words came.

"And see here, Miss Wa