But you tell me that ain't so; you do realize.
So all I can say is that I'm awful glad for you. God bless you, my dear!
I hope you'll be as happy as the day is long."
His niece gazed at him, bewildered and incredulous. This she had NOT
expected.
"Thank you," she stammered. "I did not know--I thought--"
"Of course you did--of course. Well, then, Caroline, I guess that's all.
I won't trouble you any longer. Good-by."
He turned toward the door, but stopped, hesitated, and turned back
again.
"There is just one thing more," he said solemnly. "I don't know's I
ought to speak, but--I want to--and I'm goin' to. And I want you to
believe it! I do want you to!"
He was so earnest, and the look he gave her was so strange, that she
began to be alarmed.
"What is it?" she demanded.
"Why--why, just this, Caroline. This is a tough old world we live in.
Things don't always go on in it as we think they'd ought to. Trouble
comes to everybody, and when it all looks right sometimes it turns out
to be all wrong. If--if there should come a time like that to you and
Steve, I want you to remember that you've got me to turn to. No matter
what you think of me, what folks have made you think of me, just
remember that I'm waitin' and ready to help you all I can.
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