And again, as on that day, he heard a far-away, ineffable music, the Elf-land horns, sounding the mysterious reveille which had wakened his soul to her coming.
She came to the gate to meet him, and gave him her hand in greeting, without a word--or the need of one--from either.Then together they set forth over the sun-flecked pavement, the maples swishing above them, heavier branches crooning in the strong breeze, under a sky like a Della Robbia background.And up against the glorious blue of it, some laughing, invisible god was blowing small, rounded clouds of pure cotton, as children blow thistledown.
When he opened her parasol, as they came out into the broad sunshine beyond Upper Main Street, there was the faintest mingling of wild roses and cinnamon loosed on the air.
"Joe," she said, "I'm very happy!"
"That's right," he returned, heartily."I think you always will be.""But, oh! I wish," she went on, "that Mr.Arp could have lived to see you come down the Court-house steps.""God bless him!" said Joe."I can hear the `argument'!""Those dear old men have been so loyal to you, Joe.""No," he returned; "loyal to Eskew.""To you both," she said."I'm afraid the old circle is broken up; they haven't met on the National House corner since he died.The Colonel told me he couldn't bear to go there again.""I don't believe any of them ever will," he returned."And yet I never pass the place that Idon't see Eskew in his old chair.I went there last night to commune with him.I couldn't sleep, and I got up, and went over there; they'd left the chairs out; the town was asleep, and it was beautiful moonlight--""To commune with him? What about?""You."
"Why?" she asked, plainly mystified.