she actually
laid her hand on his arm. "Oh, Alfred, if you'd only do that for me I'd
be the happiest girl in the world!"

"Well, it will be done to-morrow morning early," Henley said, a certain
purpose rendering his face rigid, his eyes fixed as if a great crisis
had arrived in his life. "The only thing is, that I'd naturally feel
like I'd be entitled to some commission--" He tried to smile into her
staring eyes, but failed. He caught hold of her hand and she seemed
wholly unconscious of the fact.

"Why, of course," she groped, "I'd be willing to pay all costs and
anything else you'd ask."

"There is only one thing I could want, or would ever care to have," he
swallowed, "and that is you, Dixie. You must be my wife. I'm free now.
Nothing stands between us. I want you, sweetheart--I want you!"

Their eyes met, volumes of tenderness sweeping to and fro between them.
A great light had taken possession of her face. He felt her lean against
him confidingly, and he put his arm around her and drew her head to his
shoulder, and then, with a boldness he would till now have ascribed only
to a god, he put his hand under her warm face, turned it upward and
kissed her on the lips. She nestled closer to him and shut her eyes,
remaining still and silent. He felt her warmth striking into his body.

For several minutes they sat thus, and then she opened her eyes and
smiled.

"Oh, Alfred, I'm so happy!" she said, softly.

"Well, maybe _I_ ain't," he said, huskily, and then he kissed her again.

"I'm so glad about the farm," she said. "I can come to you now freer. I
couldn't bear the idea of being in debt to the man _I_ was going to
marry. I've been independent so long that--that it actually hurt me. Are
you plumb sure you can sell it, Alfred--absolutely sure?"

"Absolutely," he answered. "The only thing that's bothering me is that
it's worth more."

"Never mind about that," she cried. "But tell me who is to take it,
Alfred?"

Their eyes met again steadily, a warm, confident, fearless smile lighted
up his face. He put his arm about her again, drew her close to him, and
held her cheek in his hand.

"There ain't but one man under God's eye that's got a right to own the
land you toiled on like you did," he said, "and that is the man that
worships every hair on your head and every drop of blood in your veins.
I'm the feller, Dixie."

"Oh, Alfred!" she cried out, but, seeing his eyes burning into hers, she
smiled, nestled clos