"
"Why could they not remain as they are?" He smiled at me. "Let me hope
so."
I turned to Ellen. "Please," I said, "bring me the other half of this."
I flung open my bag and spread upon the nearest table my half of the
record of our covenant, done, as it had seemed to me, long years ago.
Colonel Meriwether and I bent over the half rigid parchment. I saw that
Ellen had gone; but presently she came again, hesitating, flushing red,
and put into my hands the other half of our indenture. She carried Pete,
the little dog, under her arm, his legs projecting stiffly; and now a
wail of protest broke from Pete, squeezed too tightly in her unconscious
clasp.
I placed the pieces edge to edge upon the table. The old familiar words
looked up at me again, solemnly. Again I felt my heart choke my throat
as I read: "_I, John Cowles--I, Ellen Meriwether--take thee--take
thee--until death do us part_."
I handed her a pencil. She wrote slowly, freakishly, having her maiden
will; and it seemed to me still a week to a letter as she signed. But at
last her name stood in full--_E-l-l-e-n M-e-r-i-w-e-t-h-e-r_.
"General," I said, "this indenture witnesseth! We two are bound by it.
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