"How could I laugh at you for being willing to sacrifice
everything for me? But that's not all?"
"Not quite. It came to me like a flash about the stage passing so near at
two o'clock in the morning, and that I could get away then without being
seen, and after I was in it make up my mind where I would get out."
"And how did you expect to support yourself?"
"There was some money in my purse--you never let it get empty, Ned--and--I
thought I wouldn't need any very long."
"Wouldn't? why not?"
"Oh, I was sure, _sure_ I couldn't live long without you," she cried,
hugging him close and ending with a burst of tears and sobs.
"You dear, dear little thing!" he said with emotion, and tightening his
clasp of her slight form; "after I had been so cruel to you, too!"
"No, you weren't, except in going away without making up and saying
good-by."
"It's very generous in you to say it, darling. But how large was this sum
of money that you expected to last as long as you needed any?"
"I don't know. I didn't stop to count it. You can do that, if you want to.
I suppose the purse is in my satchel."
He brought the satchel--still unpacked--took out the purse and examined
its contents.
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