“You needn’t tell it,” he said sharply, “we know—don’t we, Mammy? It’s Brand——”
“Sure, we know, Nance, honey,” said Mrs. Allison gently, “an’ we want to tell you, Bud an’ I, how plumb happy we are—how glad we are to see happiness come to the best daughter, the best sister, two people ever had on this here earth. Ain’t we, Buddy?”
The boy swallowed once, then looked at Nance and smiled.
It was not the least courageous thing he was ever to accomplish, that smile, and his mother knew it, for he adored the girl, and she had been his only playmate all his life.
But at his mother’s subtle words jealousy died and love stepped back triumphantly.
“We sure are, Sis,” he said and kissed her on the cheek.
The child slept late that morning. Perhaps he had been more or less disturbed by Nance’s wakefulness. She stepped to the bedroom door once and looked at him, but left him there.
“We might as well sit down,” she said, “he’s fast asleep yet and I can feed him when he does get up.”
They talked gaily all through the meal, reviewing the wonder that had come to Nance, and it seemed a new future was opening before them all.
“Brand seems like one of us already,” said Mrs. Allison, “an’ I think with joy what a help he’ll be to you an’ Bud—th’ land is rich an’ will keep us all in plenty with a man like him to manage an’ to stand between us an’ Sky Line. An’ he’s like your Pappy was—kind an’ still, a strength an’ a hope for us. If Bud is willin’ we’ll offer him share an’ share.”