"They carried Valentine to his home, and then they went with him to Geraldine's home. There was great rejoicing in the town. The little girl's father was rich, and he called all the people together; and they had a big dinner, and everybody was happy. The little girl had her old nurse back, and she grew up to be a beautiful young woman, and Valentine grew up to be a handsome young man." XIX. A STORY OF THE RIVER. "I think that was a beautiful story," said Sweetest Susan, when Mrs. Meadows paused; "but was that the end?" "Why, wasn't that enough?" inquired Mr. Rabbit sleepily. "What more could you ask? Didn't the boy and girl get back home where they could get something to eat?" "What became of them?" asked Buster John. "The stories about boys and girls in books say they married and lived happily ever after." "Oh, yes!" cried Mr. Thimblefinger. "I've heard about it. I remember the poetry,-- "'They married, then, and lived in clover, And when they died, they died all over.'" "Well," said Mrs. Meadows, "I thought surely you'd get tired of Valentine and Geraldine by the time they got back home, and so I thought we'd do well to leave them there. Still, if you are not tired--" Mrs. Meadows paused and looked at the children. "Oh, we are not tired," protested Buster John. "Well," said Mrs. Meadows, "if that's the case, I'll tell you what happened after Valentine and Geraldine went back home. Of course, Geraldine's father and mother were very proud and happy when their little girl was brought back to them. They were very grateful to Valentine, and they offered him money. But somehow Valentine didn't want their money. He said that the pleasure of getting Geraldine out of the hands of the wicked Conjurer was reward enough for him, and so he shook his head and refused the money that was offered him. "Now, the little girl's father was rich and prosperous, while Valentine was very poor, and it was natural that the rich man should wonder why the boy, who was poor, should refuse money. Somehow, he took a dislike to Valentine. He said to himself that a boy who would refuse money as a free gift would never be prosperous. "As time went on, Valentine grew to be a handsome young man, but he was still poor. He went to see Geraldine sometimes, but as she grew older, she grew shyer. Valentine couldn't understand this, but he thought it was because she was old enough to know that she was rich and he was poor. "He said to her one day. 'You are not as friendly as you used to be.' "'Oh, yes I am,' she replied. 'I shall always be friendly with you.' "'No,' said he, 'you have changed.' "'No more than you,' was her answer. "'I changed?' he cried. 'I love you more than I ever did.'