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"Rank and fortune," said Florence, without looking up. "Marrying a rich man, for instance," said Edith, "and having one's hands full." This peculiar statement of the case occasioned a laugh all round, but the silence which followed seemed still to wait upon Fleda's reply. "Am I expected to give a serious answer to that question?" she said a little doubtfully.
But while he spoke, his companion's face had gone back to its usual look of imperturbable coolness; the dark eye was even haughtily unmoved, till it met Fleda's inquiring and somewhat anxious glance. He smiled. "The nearest approach I ever made to that," said he, "was when I went chestnuting the other day. Can't you find some more work for me, Fairy?"
"I had one of my fits of doing nothing at home I didn't feel very bright, and thought perhaps you didn't so, on the principle that two negatives make an affirmative " "I feel bright," said Hugh, gently. Fleda's eye came down to his, which was steady and clear as the reflection of the sky in Deepwater lake and then hers fell lower. "Why don't you, dear Fleda?"
Thorn, who had joined the group and placed himself precisely so as to hinder Fleda's view. "My fancy has no stamp of nationality, in this, at least," he said pleasantly. "Now for instance, the Miss Delancys don't you call them handsome, Mr. Carleton?" said Florence. "Yes," he said, half smiling. "But not beautiful? Now what is it they want?"
By the Evelyns' own desire Fleda's going to them was delayed for a week, because, they said, a furnace was to be brought into the house and they would be all topsy-turvy till that fuss was over. Fleda kept herself very quiet in the mean time, seeing almost nobody but the person whom it was her especial object to shun.
"Thank you, Barby!" was Fleda's most grateful return; and summoning her aunt up-stairs she took her into her own room and locked the door before she gave her the letter which Barby's shrewdness and delicacy had taken such care should not reach its owner in a wrong way. Fleda watched her as her eye ran over the paper and caught it as it fell from her fingers. "My Dear Wife,
A dark rising ground covered with wood sometimes rose between her and the western horizon; and then a long stretch of snow, only less pure, would leave free view of its unearthly white light, dimmed by no exhalation, a gentle, mute, but not the less eloquent, witness to earth of what heaven must be. But the sleigh stopped at the gate, and Fleda's musings came home.
And her mother had been a meek child of faith, and her father and grandfather, though strong men, had bowed like little children to the same rule. Fleda's head bent lower yet, and she wept, even aloud, but it was one half in pure thankfulness and a joy that the world knows nothing of.
And stretching out his hand, the old gentleman laid it tenderly upon Fleda's bowed head, saying with strong earnestness and affection, even his voice somewhat shaken, "God grant that prayer! whatever else he do with her, keep my child from the evil! and bring her to join her father and mother in heaven! and me!" He said no more; but Fleda's sobs said a great deal.
Dinah was called, and a few kind words spoken, and with a more substantial remembrance, or reward, from Fleda's hand, they left her. Fleda had the support of her uncle's arm till they came within sight of the house, and then he stood and watched her while she went the rest of the way alone.
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