It was hard at first, because her mind had never reached the point of speaking aloud her passionate love for him, but Theodore heard the halting words, and droned them over to himself, as a music lover delights in his favorite strains. "And you love me well enough to marry me some day?" he murmured. Marry him! This, too, was a new thought. Jinnie's heart fluttered like a bird in her breast. To be with him always? To have him for her own? Of course, he was hers, and she was his! Then into her mind came the thought of Lafe, Peggy, and Bobbie, and the arms around him relaxed. "I love you better'n anybody in the world," she told him, pathetically, "but I can't ever leave the cobbler.... They need me there." "They can't keep you," he cried passionately. "I want you myself." His vehemence subdued her utterly. She glanced into his face. In his flashing eyes, Jinnie read a power inimitable and unsurpassed. "I couldn't ever leave 'em," she repeated, quivering, "but couldn't they live----" "We'd take the little blind boy," promised Theodore. Jinnie remained pensive. To bring the shine in her eyes once more, he said: "Wouldn't you like Bobbie to live with us?" "Yes, of course; but I couldn't leave Lafe and Peg in Paradise Road." Theodore surrounded the entreating, uplifted face with two strong hands. "I know that. We'll take care of them all----" Still Jinnie held back her full surrender. "Can I take Happy Pete, too? And the cats? There's an awful lot of 'em.... Milly Ann does have so many kitties," she ended naïvely. Theodore laughed delightedly. "Dearest little heart! Of course we'll take them all, every one you love!" "Will you tell Lafe about--about us?" Jinnie asked shyly, "I--I----" but she had no more time to finish. "I'll tell him to-morrow, Jinnie!" exclaimed Theodore. "Are you happy, dearest?" "So happy," she sighed, with loving assurance. The rest of the day they were like two frolicking children, eating their luncheon under the tall trees. When the shadows fell, they left their trysting place, and with their arms about each other, went slowly back to the automobile. CHAPTER XXXI WHAT THEODORE TOLD HIS FRIEND "He's been gone all day," mourned Molly miserably to Jordan Morse. They had finished dinner; Molly had put Mrs. King to bed, and the two were seated in chairs on the lawn. Every minute that passed and found Theodore still away was like an eternity to the woman. She had always hated the office hours which took him from the house, hated the business friends who dropped in now and then and changed the conversation from the delicate personal things she always managed to dwell upon. During the years she had been companion to Mrs. King, Theo's dinner and luncheon hours were ones of joy to her. Now this day had passed without him. "He'll show up before long," Morse said presently. "What a lot of worry you have over that man!... Now if you had a problem on your hands like mine----"