RUTH. (_breaking out storming_) I don’t! I don’t love Andy! I don’t! (ROBERT _stares at her in stupid astonishment_. RUTH _weeps hysterically_) Whatever--put such a fool notion into--into your head? (_She suddenly throws her arms about his neck and hides her head on his shoulder_) Oh, Rob! Don’t go away! Please! You mustn’t, now! You can’t! I won’t let you! It’d break my--my heart! ROBERT. (_The expression of stupid bewilderment giving way to one of overwhelming joy. He presses her close to him--slowly and tenderly_) Do you mean that--that you love me? RUTH. (_sobbing_) Yes, yes--of course I do--what d’you s’pose? (_She lifts up her head and looks into his eyes with a tremulous smile_) You stupid thing! (_He kisses her_) I’ve loved you right along. ROBERT. (_mystified_) But you and Andy were always together! RUTH. Because you never seemed to want to go any place with me. You were always reading an old book, and not paying any attention to me. I was too proud to let you see I cared because I thought the year you had away to college had made you stuck-up, and you thought yourself too educated to waste any time on me. ROBERT. (_kissing her_) And I was thinking---- (_With a laugh_) What fools we’ve both been! RUTH. (_overcome by a sudden fear_) You won’t go away on the trip, will you, Rob? You’ll tell them you can’t go on account of me, won’t you? You can’t go now! You can’t! ROBERT. (_bewildered_) Perhaps--you can come too. RUTH. Oh, Rob, don’t be so foolish. You know I can’t. Who’d take care of ma? Don’t you see I couldn’t go--on her account? (_She clings to him imploringly_) Please don’t go--not now. Tell them you’ve decided not to. They won’t mind. I know your mother and father’ll be glad. They’ll all be. They don’t want you to go so far away from them. Please, Rob! We’ll be so happy here together where it’s natural and we know things. Please tell me you won’t go! ROBERT. (_face to face with a definite, final decision, betrays the conflict going on within him_) But--Ruth--I--Uncle Dick---- RUTH. He won’t mind when he knows it’s for your happiness to stay. How could he? (_As_ ROBERT _remains silent she bursts into sobs again_) Oh, Rob! And you said--you loved me! ROBERT. (_conquered by this appeal--an irrevocable decision in his voice_) I won’t go, Ruth. I promise you. There! Don’t cry! (_He presses her to him, stroking her hair tenderly. After a pause he speaks with happy hopefulness_) Perhaps after all Andy was right--righter than he knew--when he said I could find all the things I was seeking for here, at home on the farm. I think love must have been the secret--the secret that called to me from over the world’s rim--the secret beyond every horizon; and when I did not come, it came to me. (_He clasps_ RUTH _to him fiercely_) Oh, Ruth, our love is sweeter than any distant dream! (_He kisses her passionately and steps to the ground, lifting_ RUTH _in his arms and carrying her to the road where he puts her down_).