"Have
you been keeping something--"
"--and I will entertain this young gentleman during your absence,"
went on the other serenely,--but there was a flush in her cheeks and
her eyes were very bright and happy. "You go and read your letter
and,--did you say there was to be an answer, boy?"
"Yes'm."
"And write your answer," concluded Mrs. Strong. "Come along, my
lad, and have a nice hot cup of coffee and some toast. I hope you
take sugar. There are two lumps in it already."
Alix fairly ran from the room. They heard her racing up the stairs.
"Will you have cream, my boy?" asked Mrs. Strong, steadying her voice
with an effort. He had shuffled along behind her to the fireplace.
"Yes'm," and then as an afterthought: "if you please, ma'am." He
looked up and saw that his hostess's eyes were swimming in tears.
"I--I hope it ain't bad news," he stammered uncomfortably.
"Don't you know there are such things as tears of joy?" inquired
the lady.
He looked very doubtful. "No ma'am," he solemnly confessed. The
tears he knew about were not joyous.
"Wasn't it just like David to hire an automobile to send you out
here to deliver the letter to her? I suppose it must have cost him
a pretty penny. Most men would have put a two cent stamp on it. But
my son is not like other men. He is always doing the most unexpected
things,--and the very nicest things.
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