Now Frank had entered the shop with his mind perfectly made up, that unless he was recognised, he should go out again without saying who he was; but Carry looked so very pretty and bright, that he thought it would be very pleasant to sit down and have a chat with her, and to do so there was no other way than to say who he was. So he began,—
“Mr. Walker—your father I presume—has he quite recovered from the fright and the shock he got the other day?”
The bright eyes glanced up inquiringly at him now, and a flash of eager colour came across her face.
“How did you know my father was hurt, sir?”
“I saw him fall,” Frank said; “indeed I was fortunately close to him at the time, and helped him to pick himself up.”
“Did you indeed, sir?” Carry asked earnestly, “and was it you really who saved his life?”
“I do not know that I actually saved his life,” Frank said, smiling, “but I certainly helped him up.”
“Father! father!” Carry cried, flying into the next room and calling up the stairs. “Come down, come down at once; here is the gentleman who saved your life.” Then she rushed back into the shop, but this time to the same side of the counter as that on which Frank was standing, seized his hand in hers, and looked up into his face with those large eyes of hers. “Oh, I am so glad you have come, I wanted so much to thank you; so, so much. Father has told me all about it, and I know that I owe his life to you.”
“Don’t say anything more about it,” Frank said; “I saved your father’s life by the simple accident that I happened to be close to him when he fell, and fortunately having my wits about me, picked him up in time.”
“It is very well for you to say so, sir,” Carry said, “but you will never make me feel differently towards you; you saved father’s life at the risk of your own, and how can I ever thank you enough?” And Carry looked up so gratefully and earnestly, that Frank did as most other young fellows would have done in his place, bent down and kissed the bright face lifted up to his. Carry returned the kiss as an impulsive child might have done; it was the saviour of her father’s life that she thanked, not a good-looking young man, and flushed and excited as she was, the colour hardly deepened upon her cheek.