United States or Sri Lanka ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The room looks exactly as if she had never gone in; but she did, for we all followed her upstairs. I looked over the wardrobe, and all her dresses are there, and the can of hot water is untouched, and the gas left full up." "Oh dear, what can have happened?" Mrs Asplin pushed back her chair and stood up, looking anxious and puzzled. "I cannot rest until she is found! I must look myself!
That looked as if she had been writing letters. "Peggy dear, what are you doing all by yourself in this chilly room?" "I'm busy, Mrs Asplin. I lit the fire as soon as I came in." "But a room does not get warm in five minutes. I don't want you to catch cold and be laid up with a sore throat. Can't you bring your writing downstairs and do it beside the others?" "I would rather not.
You always helped me, Rob; you used to find a way for me out of my old childish troubles do help me now! Think of some way by which we can get back." Rob looked at her fixedly, and his lips smiled, but his eyes were grave and steady. "I'll try, Peggy," he said, "I'll do my best. There is nothing I would not do for Mrs Asplin and you!
Each one was occupied with staring at his own portrait; the Asplin family sighing and protesting, and Peggy placidly poking a pin through the eyes of the various sitters, and holding the paper to the light to view the effect.
We can control their actions, but not their thoughts; and I'm afraid if I forbade photography at present, you would find them no more interested in lessons. I fancy there is something especially engrossing on hand this week, and we might as well let them have it out." Even Mrs Asplin, however, hardly realised the thoroughness with which the girls were setting to work to achieve their end.
Then the fly was reached, and they jolted home in silence. Mrs Asplin and the four young folks were sitting waiting in the drawing-room, and each one turned an eager, excited face towards the doorway as Peggy entered, her cheeks white, but with shining eyes, and hair ruffled into little curls beneath the scarlet cap.
Nerissa read her part "conscientiously," as the newspapers would say, punctuating her sentences in exemplary fashion, and laying the emphasis upon the right words as directed by the stage manageress; but, such is the contrariness of things, that, with all her efforts, the effect was stiff and stifled, while Peggy drawled through her sentences, or gabbled them over at break-neck speed, used no emphasis at all, or half a dozen running, at her own sweet will, and was so truly Portia that the vicar wondered dreamily if he should have to interview the Duke of Morocco in his study, and Mrs Asplin sighed unconsciously, and told herself that the child was too young to be troubled with lovers.
They could not catch the train ... They could send no telegram of reassurement; the night would pass the long, long night, and no word would be received of their safety ... For her own father and mother she was not seriously concerned, for they were too old travellers not to allow for unexpected delays, and had moreover prophesied more than once that such a scatter-brained party would be certain to miss their train; but Mrs Asplin with her exaggerated ideas of distance, her terror of the sea, her nervous forebodings of evil how would she endure those long waiting hours?
Peggy looked meek, and went to her room at once to obey orders; but the mischief was done she shivered, and could not get warm, her head ached, and her eyes felt heavy. Mrs Asplin looked anxiously at her in the drawing-room after dinner, and finally called her to her side. "Peggy, come here! Aren't you well? Let me feel your hand. Child, it's like a coal! You are in a fever.
The revelation of Mrs Asplin's danger lay like a shadow across her path, but beyond a few brief words in the train, the subject had never been mentioned between them after leaving the doctor's study. "I hope I have not been selfish, Peggy, in taking you with me to-day," Mrs Asplin had then said anxiously.
Word Of The Day