Page:The Sick-A-Bed Lady.djvu/182

 he said. "But they sent me up here on business to survey a new Road."

"To survey a new Road?" she gasped. "That's—good. All the Roads that I know—go—to—Other People's Homes."

Her head began to droop limply to one side. She felt her senses reeling away from her again. "If—I—loved—you," she hurried to ask, "would—you—make—me—a—safe Road—all my own?"

The Boy From Home gave a scathing glance at the hill that reared like a crag out of the darkness.

"If I could n't make a safer Road than that—" he began, then stopped abruptly, with a sudden flash of illumination, and brushed his trembling lips across her hair.

"I'll make you the safest, smoothest Road that ever happened," he said, "if I have to dig it with my fingers and gnaw it with my teeth."

A little, snuggling sigh of contentment slipped from the Girl's lips.

"Do—you—suppose," she whispered, "do—you—suppose—that—after—all—this—was—the real—end—of—the Runaway Road?"