"Yes," he answered, tremulously. He drew her to him, unresistingly. The moon made silver pools of her eyes. Her mouth, slightly parted, was like a crimson rosebud.
Her eyes closed and her head dropped happily back against his arm. The moonlight was gone now from her face.
Ages later--or was it only a few moments?--they were standing apart again, hands still linked, looking at each other across the little space of magic light.
"I must go now," she said softly. "Good night."
"But think of the time! Besides, it's quite--quite awful, anyway! Suppose Carrie heard of it!"
"Every little bit of me, dear, for ever and ever," she answered.
They said good night again a few minutes later and a little nearer the house. And again after that.
At a quarter to one Wade came to himself after a fashion at the end of the village street, smiling insanely at a white gate-post. With a happy sigh he turned homeward, his hands in his pockets, his head thrown back, and his lips pursed for a tune that forgot to come. A few steps brought him opposite the Doctor's house and the imp of mischief whispered in his ear. Wade laughed aloud. Then he crossed the street under the dark canopy of the elms and-pulled the office bell till it jangled wildly. A head came out of a window above.
"What's wanted?" asked the Doctor's sleepy voice. "Who is it?"
After a moment the key turned and the Doctor, arrayed in a vast figured dressing-gown stood in the open door.
"Is it you?" he asked. "What's wrong? Who's ill"?"
"No one's ill, Doctor," said Herrick. "I just wanted to know if you had any remedy for happiness?"
Perhaps Wade's radiant, laughing face gave the Doctor his cue, for, after studying it a moment, he asked, with a chuckle:
"No, but I'm going to. Oh, I'm not crazy, Doctor. I was out for a stroll and thought I'd just drop by and tell you that I'd taken your advice and had decided not to leave to-morrow."
"Humph; nor the next day, either, I guess! Lad, is it all right? Have you seen her?"
"Yes, I've seen her and it's all right! Everything's all right! Look at this world, Doctor. Did you ever see a more beautiful one? For Heaven's sake reel off some poetry for me!"
"Go to bed," laughed the Doctor, "go to bed!"
"H'm, you're right," said the Doctor. "Stay up and be mad as you can, my lad. Bay to the moon! Sing under her window! Act the happy fool! Lord, if I wasn't so old I'd come out and help you. Youth, youth! Now go away before I hate you for it!"