Y ' look ` sif y 'd seen a ghost . '' Octavia leaned up against the wall in spasms of mirth . `` Oh , Sam , '' she gasped , `` old Jerome Irving and Aunt Anne are sitting round there in the dark on the front porch and he had his arms around her , kissing her ! And they never saw nor heard me , no more 'n if they were deaf and blind ! '' Sam gave a tremendous whistle and then went off into a shout of laughter whose echoes reached even to the gloom of the front porch and the ears of the lovers . But they did not know he was laughing at them and would not have cared if they had . They were too happy for that . There was a wedding that fall and Anne Stockard was the bride . When she was safely his , Jerome confessed all and was graciously forgiven . `` But it was kind of mean to Harriet , '' said Anne rebukingly , `` to go with her and get her talked about and then drop her as you did . Do n't you think so yourself , Jerome ? '' Her husband 's eyes twinkled . `` Well , hardly that . You see , Harriet 's engaged to that Johnson fellow out west . ` Tai n't generally known , but I knew it and that 's why I picked on her . I thought it probable that she 'd be willing enough to flirt with me for a little diversion , even if I was old . Harriet 's that sort of a girl . And I made up my mind that if that did n't fetch it nothing would and I 'd give up for good and all . But it did , did n't it , Anne ? '' `` I should say so .
It was horrid of you , Jerome -- but I daresay it 's just as well you did or I 'd likely never have found out XXXXX I could n't get along without you .
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