Page:Barbour--Peggy in the rain.djvu/257

 the park now, the old horse still ambling along and every hinge and spring in the cab squeaking in protest. At last:

"Please, to-night," she begged, gently. "I want you to read that first. I—I won't run away from you. I—I've had my lesson." "I didn't mean to bother you, dear; only I can't let you get very far away. But I won't trouble you. I've learned my lesson, too, dearest; that I can't do without you."

He lifted her wet face and kissed her on the mouth. Her lips trembled under his.

"I don't want to die now," she whispered. "No, no, no! You're going to live, Peggy, and be happy!"

"Happy!" she murmured dreamily. Then, suddenly tightening herself in his arms, "Oh, yes," she cried, "I want to be happy! And I shall be, shan't I?"

"Always, sweetheart! Happy together, you and I! For oh, Peggy, Peggy-in-the-Rain, I love you so!"

After a moment he asked: "If you wrote that letter to me, dear, you didn't mean to—to leave me?"

"No. That was after. I had finished the