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Many and many a life decision has been made, through this taking for granted that bears with its mute, but magnetic power, upon the shyness and irresolution that can scarcely face and interpret its own wish or will. It was very true, that, as Saidie Gartney had said, "this had been going on for years."
Most keenly in apprehension, in mortification, in after privation. Of this class was the Gartney family. Mr. Gartney was growing pale and thin. No wonder; with sleepless nights, and harassed days, and forgotten, or unrelished meals. His wife watched him and waited for him, and contrived special comforts for him, and listened to his confidences.
If you will do me the further favor to take my daughter home, I will ride to the nearest house where I can obtain a sleigh, and some one to send back for these traps of mine." "Miss Gartney," said the minister, in answer, "can you sit a horse's back as well as you did his eyebrow?"
Gartney, the polite wishes of her visiting friends that "Mr. Gartney's health might allow them to return to the city in the winter," with the wonder, unexpressed, whether this were to be a final breakdown of the family, or not; and for Faith, the horror and extravagant lamentations of her young coterie, at her coming occultation or setting, rather, out of their sky.
This by-street was literally unbroken. No one had traversed it since the beginning of the storm. The drifts had had it all their own way there, and it involved no little adventurousness and risk, as Mr. Gartney began to see, to pioneer a passage through. But the spirit of adventure was upon them both.
If she had known what she did not know that Faith Gartney stood at this moment in that burning mill, looking forth despairingly on those bright waters and green fields that lay between it and this home of hers that were so near her, she might discern each shining pebble and the separate grass blades in the scarlet light, yet so infinitely far, so gone from her forever had she known all this, without knowing the help and hope that were coming she would yet have said "How beautiful it would be to be like Miss Faith!"
That he could snatch this chance moment to tell her, only, of his sacred sorrow! She moved a half step nearer, and laid her hand, softly, on the chair arm beside him. She did not touch so much as a fold of his sleeve; but it seemed, somehow, like a pitying caress. "I am sorry!" said she. And then the others came in. Mr. Gartney walked round with his friend to the old house.
It's too hot for anything but a book, and a fan, and a sofa by an open window!" Faith laughed; but, before she could reply, a chaise rolled up to the open front door, and the step and voice of Dr. Wasgatt were heard, as he inquired for Miss Gartney. Faith left her seat, with a word of excuse, and met him in the hall.
It was quite different with Faith disappearing, as she had done, from notice, before ever actually "coming out." "It was a thousand pities," Aunt Etherege said, when she and Saidie discussed with Mrs. Gartney, at Cross Corners, the family affairs. "And things just as they were, too! Why, another year might have settled matters for her, so that this need never have happened!
Nurse Sampson wondered thus, as she settled Miss Henderson in her armchair before the window, and they saw Roger Armstrong and Faith Gartney walk up the field together in the sunset light. "I suppose it wouldn't take much of a jog to do it. But, maybe, it's as well to leave it to the Lord's sunshine. He'll ripen it, if He sees fit." "It's a pretty picture, anyhow.
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