Jefferson and Melanctha now saw each other, very often.  They now always liked to be with each other, and they always now had a good time when they talked to one another.  They, mostly in their talking to each other, still just talked about outside things and what they were thinking.  Except just in little moments, and not those very often, they never said anything about their feeling.  Sometimes Melanctha would tease Jefferson a little just to show she had not forgotten, but mostly she listened to his talking, for Jefferson still always liked to talk along about the things he believed in.  Melanctha was liking Jefferson Campbell better every day, and Jefferson was beginning to know that Melanctha certainly had a good mind, and he was beginning to feel a little her real sweetness.  Not in her being good to ‘Mis’ Herbert, that never seemed to Jefferson to mean much in her, but there was a strong kind of sweetness in Melanctha’s nature that Jefferson began now to feel when he was with her.

‘Mis’ Herbert was now always getting sicker.  One night again Dr. Campbell felt very certain that before it was morning she would surely die.  Dr. Campbell said he would come back to help Melanctha watch her, and to do anything he could to make ‘Mis’ Herbert’s dying more easy for her.  Dr. Campbell came back that evening, after he was through with his other patients, and then he made ‘Mis’ Herbert easy, and then he came and sat down on the steps just above where Melanctha was sitting with the lamp, and looking very tired.  Dr. Campbell was pretty tired too, and they both sat there very quiet.

“You look awful tired to-night, Dr. Campbell,” Melanctha said at last, with her voice low and very gentle, “Don’t you want to go lie down and sleep a little?  You’re always being much too good to everybody, Dr. Campbell.  I like to have you stay here watching to-night with me, but it don’t seem right you ought to stay here when you got so much always to do for everybody.  You are certainly very kind to come back, Dr. Campbell, but I can certainly get along to-night without you.  I can get help next door sure if I need it.  You just go ’long home to bed, Dr. Campbell.  You certainly do look as if you need it.”

Jefferson was silent for some time, and always he was looking very gently at Melanctha.

“I certainly never did think, Miss Melanctha, I would find you to be so sweet and thinking, with me.”  “Dr. Campbell” said Melanctha, still more gentle, “I certainly never did think that you would ever feel it good to like me.  I certainly never did think you would want to see for yourself if I had sweet ways in me.”

They both sat there very tired, very gentle, very quiet, a long time.  At last Melanctha in a low, even tone began to talk to Jefferson Campbell.