"That fortune your A'nt Amy left you." "I--I haven't much of it left, you know, 'Liphalet. Only 'bout ninety dollars." "_What?_" almost shouted the man. "Ninety dollars?" "Yes. You know, Aunt Amy left me a little over four hundred dollars. I--I bought a dress, that I--I laid away, with part of it." The blush was again hidden in the uncertain light of an uncertain moon. That silver gray poplin, laid away in lavender, was the tenderest secret in all Sue Ambrose's life. "Folks reported around," she hastened to add, "that the legacy was a lot more. You know how stories grow in Cardhaven." "Grow! From four hundred to forty thousand? I should say! Why, Susan, thinking you had all that money----" "Only four hundred dollars, 'Liphalet." "_Forty thousand!_ By Hannah! Has gossip cheated me out of this here blessin' for goin' on ten year?" He held her in his arms right in the public road. He knew by the very yielding of her body to his own what her answer was. With the clearing of the tempest on this Christmas Eve had come the clearing up of all mistakes and misapprehensions in their lives. A raucous "Ahem!" apprised them of the presence of somebody besides Pearl and Helmford behind them. "Well, I vum!" ejaculated the voice of Doctor Ambrose. "'Twan't your liver after all, 'Liphalet Truitt, that was out of kilter. I see now 'twas your heart!" The dying gale chased tatters of cloud across the face of the moon. Only now and then was the road lighted sufficiently for Helmford and Pearl to see clearly the trio walking on ahead of them toward the Ambrose cottage. Helmford and Pearl walked close together and slowly. They were in that ecstatic state where the touch of a hand--even the caress of their garments against each other--thrilled them. Pearl had never dreamed, even under the inspiration of the tales in the _Ladies' Home Provider_, that love was as sweet as this! "This has been one blessed--exciting--_astounding_ day, Pearly," Helmford said. "How much has happened in a few hours! This morning I thought----" "Yes?" she asked, as he hesitated, and giving a happy little skip as she clung to his arm. "What did you think?" "I thought you were as far away from me as that moon up there." "My, how foolish of you!" breathed Pearl, yet delighted. "And just because poor Uncle Jonah would give me some of his fortune." "All of it, he said," Helmford told her grimly. "A hundred thousand dollars. That is a great sum, Pearl." "Is it?" she asked innocently. "It's not so much _when it's only in your mind_." "And I'm glad you haven't got it--even in your mind, Pearly."