The Mountain Girl by Emma Payne Erskine Chapter 23 Page 2

David smiled over the old doctor’s stammer of enthusiasm. It was as if his thoughts, fertile and vehement, and the feelings of his great, warm heart welled up within him, and, trying to burst forth all at once, tumbled over themselves, unable to secure words rapidly enough in which to give themselves utterance.

“Then why so silent and dubious?”

“Why — why — y — young man, I wasn’t thinking anything about you just then.” And again David laughed, while his wiry old friend jumped up and walked rapidly and restlessly about the small apartment and laughed in sympathy. “It’s not — not — ”

“I know.” David grew instantly sober again. “Of course the little chap’s case is serious —