The Claim Jumpers

"Have I been that to you, Mary? Has it come to that with me?" he asked

wistfully.

"Heaven help me, I am afraid it has!" she cried, burying her face in

her hands.

A great gladness leaped up into his face, and died as the blaze of a

fire leaps up and expires.

"That makes it easier--and harder," he said. "It is bad enough as it

is. I don't know how I can make you understand, dear."

"I understand more than you think," she replied, becoming calm again,

and letting her hands fall into her lap. "I am going to speak quite

plainly. You love me, Ben--ah, don't I know it!" she cried, with a

sudden burst of passion. "I have seen it in your eyes these many days.

I have heard it in your voice. I have felt it welling out from your

great heart. It has been sweet to me--so sweet! You can not know, no

man ever could know, how that love of yours has filled my soul and my

heart until there was room for nothing else in the whole wide world!"

"You love me!" he said wonderingly.

"If I had not known that, do you think I would have endured a moment's

hesitation after you had seen the objectionable features of my life? Do

you think that if I had the slightest doubts of your love, I could now

understand why you hesitate? But I do, and I honour you for it."

"You love me!" he repeated.

"Yes, yes, Ben dear, I do love you. I love you as I never thought

to be permitted to love. Do you want to know what I did that second day

on the Rock--the day you first showed me what you really were? The day

you told me of your old home and the great tree? It was all so

peaceful, and tender, and comforting, so sweet and pure, that it rested

me. I felt, here is a man at last who could not misunderstand me, could

not be abrupt, and harsh, and cruel. I said to myself, 'He is not

perfect nor does he expect perfection.' I shut my eyes, and then

something choked me, and the tears came. I cried out loud, 'Oh, to be

what I was, to give again what I have not! O God, give me back my heart

as it once was, and let me love!' Yes, Ben dear, I said 'love.' And

then I was not happy any more all day. But God answered that prayer,

Ben dear, and we do love one another now, and that is why we can look

at things together, and see what is best for us both."

"You love me!" he exclaimed for the third time.