"
"Why, child," said Miss Avies, astonished. "How you've grown these
last weeks!"
"Do you want to know how I love Martin," said Maggie, "so that there
shall be no mistake about it? Well, I can't tell you. I couldn't
tell any one. I don't know how I love him, but I know that I shall
never change or alter all my life--even though he never comes back
again. I've given over being silly," she went on. "There were days
and days at first when I just wanted to die. But now I'm going to
make my own life and have a good time--and never stop loving Martin
for one single second."
"Supposing," said Miss Avies, "some one wanted to marry you? Would
you?"
"It would depend," said Maggie; "if I liked him and he really wanted
me and I could help him I might. Only, of course, I'd tell him about
Martin first."
She went on after a little pause: "You see, Miss Avies, I haven't
been very happy with my aunts, and I always thought it was their
fault that I wasn't. But during these weeks when I've been lying in
bed I saw that it was my own fault for being so gloomy about
everything. Now that I've got Martin--"
"Got him!" interrupted Miss Avies; "why, you've only just lost him!"
"No, I haven't," answered Maggie.
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