Colonel Fairfax had listened to certain
truths which had long been subconsciously germinating in his own mind.
Before he could recover from the surprise of finding that he agreed
with her, Ruth, touched by the lines of care graven upon his fine old
face, had caught her breath with a little sob, slipped from her place
by the fire, and was kneeling, beside his chair, her eyes starry with
light, her lovely face glorified with its tender appeal.
"Colonel," she cried, a catch in her voice, "I'm going to marry Dick!
It was he who praised Uncle Edward so."
The Colonel's face grew scarlet; then he laid a trembling hand upon the
girl's bowed head. "Child," he said, "you--you--" Tears blinded his
eyes and he stopped.
In the silence that followed came the sharp sound of a quick footfall.
The Colonel looked up. Dick Fairfax stood in the doorway, his eyes
burning strangely in the white misery of his face.
The father rose and straightened himself with something of his old,
stern dignity; but at a warm, girlish touch he gulped.
"Dick," he said queerly, holding out a trembling hand, "we're--we're
both citizens of the United States, and--it's Christmas Day.
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