"And the man?" asked Norman, impatiently.
"What man? O, the officer. He just rode down this morning for a morning
call. I never saw him before."
A great weight, as large as the Piedmontese, fell from Norman's heart
then, and he scattered money among the children recklessly and ordered
up the donkey; and smiled on the amazed Lisetta all in the same breath,
and went back to help Mae into the wagon with the lightest kind of a
heart. It was a strange ride they took back to Castellamare. I think
they both wished the world could stand still once more. When they had
arrived at the station they found the next train to Naples was not due
for two hours. Norman left Mae in the waiting-room for a time. Through
the window she watched Gaetano and the donkey start homeward, with a
great sigh of relief. She had time while she was sitting to think, but
her head was in too great a whirl. She could only feel sorry and ashamed
and meek and happy, all mixed together. The sensation was odd.
"I have telegraphed Eric that we would start home by the next train,
that you had only been off for a frolic.
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