`` There is something for you to do right here -- if you will do it , '' said Mattie faintly . For a moment she felt as if she could not go on ; Jed and the garden and the scarf of late asters whirled around her dizzily . She held by the sweet-pea trellis to steady herself . `` I -- I said a terrible thing to Selena the other day . I -- I do n't know what I 'll do about it if -- if -- you do n't help me out , Jed . '' `` I 'll do anything I can , '' said Jed , with hearty sympathy . `` You know that , Mattie . What is the trouble ? '' His kindly voice and the good will and affection beaming in his honest blue eyes gave Mattie renewed courage to go on with her self-imposed and most embarrassing task , although before she ended her voice shook and dwindled away to such a low whisper that Jed had to bend his head close to hers to hear what she was saying . `` I -- I said -- she goaded me into saying it , Jed -- slighting and slurring -- jeering at me because you were going away . I just got mad , Jed -- and I told her you were n't going -- that you and I -- that we were to be -- married . '' `` Mattie , did you mean that ? '' he cried . `` If you did , I 'm the happiest man alive . I did n't dare persoom -- I did n't s ` pose you thought anything of me . But if you do -- and if you want me -- here 's all there is of me , heart and soul and body , forever and ever , as I 've been all my life . '' Thinking over this speech afterwards Jed was dissatisfied with it . He thought he might have made it much more eloquent and romantic than it was . But it served the purpose very well . It was convincing -- it came straight from his honest , stupid heart , and Mattie knew it .
She held out her hands and XXXXX gathered her into his arms .
Jed Mattie Selena affection heart persoom right slighting slurring trellis