Chapter 24

Hope returned for a few days late in August. Invitations were just
issued for the harvest dance at Rickard's.

'You mus' take 'er,' said Uncle Eb, the day she came. 'She's a purty
dancer as a man ever see. Prance right up an' tell 'er she mus' go.
Don' want 'O let anyone git ahead O' ye.'

'Of course I will go,' she said in answer to my invitation, 'I
shouldn't think you were a beau worth having if you did not ask
me.'

The yellow moon was peering over Woody Ledge when we went
away that evening. I knew it was our last pleasure seeking in
Faraway, and the crickets in the stubble filled the silence with a
kind of mourning.

She looked so fine in her big hat and new gown with its many
dainty accessories of lace and ribbon, adjusted with so much
patting and pulling, that as she sat beside me, I hardly dared touch
her for fear of spoiling something. When she shivered a little and
said it was growing cool I put my arm about her, and, as I drew her
closer to my side, she turned her hat, obligingly, and said it was a
great nuisance.

I tried to kiss her then, but she put her hand over my mouth and
said, sweetly, that I would spoil everything if I did that.

'I must not let you kiss me, William,' she said, 'not - not for all in
the world. I'm sure you wouldn't have me do what I think is wrong
- would you?'

There was but one answer to such an appeal, and I made myself as
happy as possible feeling her head upon my shoulder and her soft
hair touching my cheek. As I think of it now the trust she put in me
was something sublime and holy.

'Then I shall talk about - about our love,' I said, 'I must do
something.'

'Promised I wouldn't let you,' she said. Then she added after a
moment of silence, 'I'll tell you what you may do - tell me what is
your ideal in a woman - the one you would love best of all. I don't
think that would be wicked - do you?'

'I think God would forgive that,' I said. 'She must be tall and slim,
with dainty feet and hands, and a pair of big eyes, blue as a violet,
shaded with long dark lashes. And her hair must be wavy and light
with a little tinge of gold in it. And her cheek must have the pink
of the rose and dimples that show in laughter. And her voice - that
must have music in it and the ring of kindness and good-nature.
And her lips - let them show the crimson of her blood and be ready
to give and receive a kiss when I meet her.'

She sighed and nestled closer to me.

'If I let you kiss me just once,' she whispered, 'you will not ask me
again - will you?'

'No, sweetheart, I will not,' I answered. Then we gave each other
such a kiss as may be known once and only once in a lifetime.

'What would you do