He sighed, yet, because he loved her, he answered patiently. 'We shall take title to those lands for our country. They will become part of the United States. We shall stretch from one ocean to the other, a mighty nation, unified, of one tongue. Does this mean nothing to you?'

'All I know is that you wish to go far away and into certain danger. Don't talk of it now—please'. She reached her arms out to him, and he drew her gently to him, allowing her to lead him into the tender murmured nonsense which delights lovers.

Still, he knew with grim clarity that this idyll of theirs was a piece of beautiful folly that could not last. Each day when he left her, he turned tirelessly to his plans—the ordering of supplies, the meticulous directions to people in St. Louis, from which town the complete expedition would eventually start up the Missouri. And he spent his evenings in the study of astronomy, latitude and longitude.

Yet each day it was harder to leave her; they put off the parting hour until the forest lay hot and muted under the noon heat. Jefferson did not question his tardiness, Meme enjoyed his complete trust, but his tired old eyes wondered, and Meme threw himself savagely into the accumulated work, cursing his own weakness.

It could not last, and it did not.

On the fourth afternoon Aaron returned, and, with the first glimpse of his spare, energetic figure and his delighted smile, Theodosia was jolted from her dream.

'It's most kind of you to shorten our separation, Miss Prissy,' he said, embracing her warmly. 'I scarcely dared suggest that you meet me here, knowing your fondness for New York, and knowing, too, your love of comfort. I fear Washington has little of that to offer as yet.'

'Indeed, I have wanted for nothing,' she said briefly. 'We have not been uncomfortable.'

He put his arm around her waist. 'And how is the really important member of the family?'

She smiled and led him upstairs to view the drowsy baby, who opened his dark eyes at once and, seeing his grandfather, crowed with pleasure.

'I believe he actually remembers you!' cried Theo, laughing.

'I have always said that he was a singularly intelligent infant. Look——' He pulled a small silver rattle from his pocket, jingling the bells. 'See what Gramps bought for you in Philadelphia.'

The baby lunged forward, his fat fingers closing around the toy. 'Gampy,' he said joyfully, bestowing on Aaron a seraphic smile.

'He means you, I think,' said Theo. 'He calls himself Gampy, but he calls your picture Gampy too, the one I always carry with me.'

'So,' said Aaron, pleased. 'Then we share even our nicknames. We are both Gampy'. He stroked the child's curls.