“My husband! oh, my husband!” And almost before he is aware of what is happening, two soft, white arms have been flung about his neck and a pair of rosy lips is pressed to his, and a world of ardent kisses is showered upon him, in a way which fairly takes his breath away. “How delightful of you to come and take me by surprise like this,” Jess was crying, breathlessly and delightedly. “I was thinking of you just this minute, and that I would give anything in this world to see you.” He feels that he must make some retort, but he is at a loss for words, and he can only articulate: “Are you so very glad to see me again, little girl? Why is it--why?” “Why?” echoes Jess, with a melodious little laugh like liquid sunshine. “Why, because I love you so. I have loved you more and more every hour and day that we have been apart, until I felt that I could not stand being away from you much longer, and now you are here, and I am so glad--so glad!” “Little Jess,” exclaims John Dinsmore, holding the girl off at arm’s length, “child, do you know what you are saying?” And his face grows deathly white as he looked down into the fair, dimpled, flushed young face gazing so fondly up at him. “Of course I know what I’m saying!” laughed the girl, joyously. “I am telling how dearly I love you--love you better than all the wide world besides, and how happy I am now that you have come for me to claim me, and take me away with you. I shall never leave you again, never, never, never! I have thought of nothing but you night and day since you sent me from you, and counted the hours until I should behold you again; but that is all past now. Oh, how good of you to come for me before the two weeks were up.” “My God!” bursts from John Dinsmore’s lips, as Jess reiterates her love for him over again in impulsive, childish fashion. “I never dreamed of this!” “You have forgotten to kiss me, and say that you are as glad to see me as I am to see you,” she goes on, breathlessly, in a headlong fashion, as she falls to kissing him in her impulsive way over and over again, fairly smothering him with the intense love she is showering upon him--a love that he knows wells up from the very depths of her young heart--a love which she is too innocent to attempt to try to conceal from him. No wonder he looks at her askance--wondering how in the world he is ever to utter the words that he has come to tell her--that he is there to bid her an eternal farewell! CHAPTER XL. THE FIRST LOVE. “Oh, Love, poor Love, avail Thee nothing now thy faiths, thy braveries? There is no sun, no bloom; a cold wind strips The bitter foam from off the wave where dips No more thy prow; thy eyes are hostile eyes; The gold is hidden; vain thy tears and cries; Oh, Love, poor Love, why didst thou burn thy ships?” John Dinsmore holds the girl off at arm’s length and looks down into the sweet, innocent young face with troubled eyes.