Page:Barbour--Peggy in the rain.djvu/258

 and was lying on the bed. Then I smelled the smoke and heard Mrs. Judson crying fire, and something whispered to me to stay there and be rid of all the loneliness and weariness and—and aches. And so when they beat on my door I answered and said I'd come right down. Then I pulled the pillow over my head and—and prayed. And I cried a little because I was lonelier than ever. I wanted so much to see you—first, you see. Then you called to me and I thought perhaps you were a fireman and that if I didn't answer you'd go away again. And—and when you did I was terribly frightened. I think then I'd have tried to escape, only I couldn't seem to move. And then—you came back!"

"Thank God I did!" he cried. "Oh, Peggy, why did you try such a thing? What would I have done without you, girl?"

"I thought—you'd forgotten me," she whispered. "The papers said you were sailing around on your yacht and that you were going to marry some one, they didn't say whom. And I didn't quite like you to do that—so soon!"

"I've never forgotten you for an instant, Peggy. Every hour has been full of you. I've