`` 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 Jed gathered her into his arms . It was certainly a most fortunate circumstance that the garden was well out of the range of Selena 's vision , or the sight of her sister and the remaining member of the despised Crane family repeating their foolish performance , which many years previous had resulted in Jed 's long banishment , might have caused her to commit almost any unheard-of act of spite as an outlet for her jealous anger . But only the few remaining garden flowers were witness to the lovers ' indiscretion , and they kept their own counsel after the manner of flowers , so Selena 's feelings were mercifully spared this further outrage . That evening Jed drove slowly away through the twilight , mounted for the last time on the tin-wagon . He was so happy that he bore no grudge against even Selena Ford . As the pony climbed the poplar hill Jed drew a long breath and freed his mind to the surrounding landscape and to his faithful and slow-plodding steed that had been one of the main factors in this love affair , having patiently carried him to and from the abode of his lady-love throughout the summer just passed . Jedediah was as brimful of happiness as mortal man could be , and his rosy thoughts flowed forth in a kind of triumphant chant which would have driven Selena stark distracted had she been within hearing distance . What he said too was but a poor expression of what he thought , but to the trees and fields and pony he chanted , `` Well , this is romance . What else would you call it now ? Me , poor , scared to speak -- and Mattie ups and does it for me , bless her . Yes , I 've been longing for romance all my life , and I 've got it at last .
None of your commonplace courtships XXXXX me , I always said .
As after for into of that through throughout to with