A subtle charm came from
her streaming hair and her uncorseted and graceful figure. He offered
assistance, but she sturdily replied:
"Oh no, thank you. There's nothing to do till morning, anyway. We kept
the bed dry, and so we can sleep." She smiled on him with something
happy hidden in the tones of her voice. She was embarrassed, but not
afraid. She trusted him perfectly, and he was exalted by that trust.
"Well, I'll be over in the morning and see how badly damaged you are. I
couldn't go to bed till I knew you were all right."
"Thank you. You're very kind."
He went out with a feeling that Carrie was trying hard not to laugh at
him. He was sure he heard a smothered giggle as he went down the slope.
He glowed with admiration for Estelle, so frank, so womanly. They
seemed to have drawn closer to each other in that fifteen minutes' talk
than in all the preceding months. In the joy of this deepening
friendship he splashed contentedly back to the store, unheeding the
pools beneath his feet.
V
NOVEMBER
September and October passed before the surveyors, long looked for, came
through, and three months dragged out their slow length before the
pre-emptors could file and escape from their claims.
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