Strong has this
letter at once. He is waiting for it, you know. You WILL hurry,
won't you,--that's a good boy."
"Yes'm," gulped the lad, and then, realizing he had not quite come
up to expectations, amplified his promise with a stirring: "You
bet your life I will."
She went to the door with him, and said good night so sweetly, and
with such a thrill in her voice, that he experienced the amazing
sensation of having wings on his feet as he sped down to the gate.
Alix ran to Mrs. Strong and threw her arms around her neck.
"Oh, Auntie,--he's in town. He is coming out and--and I am going
to marry him. Yes, I am! Tomorrow, if he'll let me. I ought not to
be so happy, I know. It is terrible, with so much grief and sorrow
over at--But I can't help it! I never was so happy in my life--never!"
Rushing up to the waiting taxi, the boy thrust the letter in through
the open door. It was seized by a big, eager hand. An instant later
the owner of that hand was out on the ground, reading the missive
by the light of a forward lamp.
He was not long in getting to the end. Thrusting the precious letter
into his overcoat pocket, he sprang to the door of the cab, jerked
out a heavy suitcase and a small black satchel, which he deposited
unceremoniously on the sidewalk, and then dug down into his trousers'
pocket for a handful of bills, one of which he pressed into the
small boy's hand.
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