ave
you flown?"

"Don't be silly."

He was devouring her face with his kisses, straining her to his breast
in a paroxysm of pleasure, almost suffocating himself and her in the
ardor of the embrace, and jerking out his words as though they were
gasps for breath.

"When did you get my wire? Why, it's impossible. I on'y wired
two-forty-three. Is it witchcraft or just a dream?"

"Did you wire? I never got it. I was so anxious that I couldn't stay
there any longer without news. So I just packed and came. Will--be
sensible. Tell me everything."

"Best of news! Reinstated!" He bellowed the glad tidings over her
head. She was all warm and palpitating in his arms, her dear body so
delicate and fragile and yet so round and firm, her dear face soft and
smooth, with lips that trembled and smelled like garden flowers.

"Did you come up by the nine o'clock train? How long have you been
waiting here?"

"Oh, don't bother about me. I'm nothing. It's you I want to hear
about."

Then they sat side by side on the narrow little bed, he with his arm
firmly clasped round her waist, and she nestling against him with her
face hidden on his breast.

"Mav, my bird, I can't never leave you again. I've bin just a lost dog
without you. Did you start before you got my Sunday letter?"

"Yes."

"Every day I wrote--didn't I?--just like the old time. But I've a bone
to pick with you, young lady. What d'ye mean by not writing to me more
regular? Not even so much as a post-card these last three days!"

"Will--I, I couldn't. I was too anxious while it all remained in
suspense."

"Yes, but you might have sent me a card. I told you cards would
satisfy me. I was thinking of you off and on all yesterday. I can tell
you it was just about the longest day of my life. Did you and Auntie
go to church?"

"No. Oh, don't ask questions about me--when I'm dying for a full
account of it."

He asked no more questions. After stooping to kiss the fragrant coil
of hair above her forehead, he burst out into his joyous tale of
triumph.

"It was Mr. Barradine that did the trick for me;" and with enthusiasm
he narrated the gloriously opportune arrival of "the friend at court."
Indeed his enthusiasm was so great that he could not keep still while
speaking. He got off the bed, and walked about the room, brandishing
his arms. "He's just a tip-topper. If you could have been there to
hear him, you wouldn't 'a' left off crying yet. I tell you I was
fairly overc