19. XIX.
But the spell had been effectual, and a new nature
filled the heart of him, who had heretofore
sighed vaguely for the unknown. The roving
mood had entirely departed; he was no longer a
wanderer in spirit, vexed to be denied. A soft
languor overspread his form — a weakness gathered
and grew about his heart, and he now sighed
unconsciously. How soft, yet how full of emphasis,
was the pressure of Mary's hand upon his
arm as she heard that sigh; and how forcibly did
it remind the youth that she who walked beside
him was his own — his own forever. With the
thought came a sweet perspective — a long vista
rose up before his eyes, crowded with images of
repose and plenty, such as the domestic nature
likes to dream of.
“Oh, Mary, I will not go with this captain —
I will not. I will stay at home with you, and we
shall be married.”
Thus he spoke, as the crowding thoughts, such
as we have described, came up before his fancy.
“Will you — shall we? Oh, dear Edward, I
am so happy.”
And the maiden blessed Logoochie, as she uttered
her response of happy feeling.
“I will, dear — but I must hide from Doolittle.
I have signed papers to go with him, and he will
be so disappointed — I must hide from him.”
“Why must you hide, Edward — he cannot
compel you to go, unless you please; and you
just to be married.”
Edward thought she insisted somewhat unnecessarily
upon the latter point, but he replied to
the first.
“I am afraid he can. I signed papers — I
don't know what they were, for I was rash and
foolish — but they bound me to go with him, and
unless I keep out of the way, I shall have to go.”
“Oh, dear — why, Ned, where will you go —
you must hide close, — I would not have him find
you for the world.”
“I reckon not. As to the hiding, I can go
where all St. Mary's can't find me; and that's in
Okephanokee.”
“Oh, don't go so far — it is so dangerous, for
some of the Seminoles are there!”
“And what if they are? — I don't care that for
the Seminoles. They never did me any harm,
and never will. But, I shan't go quite so far.
Bull swamp is close enough for me, and there I
can watch the `Smashing Nancy' 'till she gets
out to sea.”
