Pembroke

l sitting beside it arose. "I didn't know she was in

s trembling all over, and had sunk helplessly into a roc

in a batch of his pies, and the click of the iro

lunk after her so secretly that it seemed as if she did not see herself. Cephas looked sharply after them, but said nothin

as now overwrought with nervous excitement. She fairly gasped for breath when she sat down in the little wooden chair in Charlotte's room. Charlotte sat

last night," Charlo

idn't you?" returned Rose, as if

looked moodily past her cou

ut it, I suppose?

replied Ros

ut, for my part. I don't

d her thin neck. She opened her mouth as if to

how it got out,"

nto fists as she spoke. "I was coming up here 'cross lots last night, and I hear

y, you did

hat's all. I didn't think that

own, that's all. It'

'll get out; I told

Thayer

arney to

tter. You know Barney wo

't s'pose

pose! Don'

harlotte, don't feel bad. I wouldn't have told mother if I'd thought. I didn

orcibly with her apron, and gave her head a proud toss. "I know you didn't mean to do any harm,

to do any harm, Charl

t. We won't say a

t I'd see Aunt Sarah. I'd got terrible lonesome; mother had gone to sleep in her chair, and father had gone to bed. When I go

aid Cha

to the surface and make a sound, although it was totally at variance with the import of her cry. Charlotte started, without

harlotte. "It's all over. I'm goi

what makes

now

u've done, Charlotte; he

reaks his will, and he can't. He can't get outside himself enough to b

rlot

t is

ied? What's the need of his comin' here, if he'

r went out of this house last night, and said what he did, he meant that it was all over, that he was never going to marry me, nor have anything more to do wit

te, you take

you want

else, I should thin

e I d

head and looked at Charlotte with a curious defiance; her face grew suddenly intense, and seemed to open out into bloom and color like a flower. The pupils of her blue

ivering flush like a reflection w

" said Ro

dn't do

e cared anythi

rney Thayer has got a terrible will that won'

enough of a fool to

n't kno

ry, an

dn't do

couldn't give him up so easy for such a silly thing. You sit there just as calm. I don't believe

all," repli

ed to speak archly, but he

l I did, Rose." She got up and went to dusting her bureau and the little gilt-fram

em to me you couldn't care as much- It does seem to me I couldn't settle down and be so calm i

stopped dusting and leaned against the wall, reflecting. "I

re he is ploughing, and I'd make hi

w bitterness. Her square delicate chin dipped into the muslin folds o

ll him

would stand out in the road and keep on calling a man who wouldn't

thing if I was going to marry him. I'd go on my knee

uldn't," sa

e he thought as much o

proudly. "I'm sure eno

I wouldn't mind what I did

d for me as it would be for another girl." Charlotte's voice broke, but she tossed he

se I didn't see how you could seem so calm; it ain't like me. Of course I know you feel bad enough undern

steadily, but her voice failed. Suddenly she threw herself on the bed

ried, wringing her own hands; her f

" sobbed Charlotte;

upon the bed looked very young and helpless. All her womanly stateliness, which made her seem so superior to Rose, had vanished. Rose pulled her chair close to the bed,

Charlotte sobbed out a

trembling. "I do know you care; don't

denly. "Look here, Charlotte," said she, "I'll do anything in the

round a hand, and c

I spoke so,

n she raised herself, shaking off Rose's hand. "It's all right," said she; "I needn't have minded; I kno

ak about them yourself firs

ess shame; then she smoothed her hair with the palms of her hands. "I know you didn't mean any harm, Rose," she added, presently. "I got m

epeated; "I ought to have known it

rrible silly. Don't you w

you don't want t

ee it-before I pack it away

ty. The north chamber had been his room, the bureau drawers were packed with his clothes, and the silk hat which had been the pride of his early manhood hung on the na

and in summertime when the windows were open undulated in the wind, she had the sense of a presence, dim, but as positive as the visions she had used to have of faces in the wandering design of the old wall-paper when she had studied it in her childhood. Ever since her brother's

t in the draught towards her, they were no more evident than this presence to wh

linen sheet was laid over the chintz c

n it Wednesday night," sh

e come th

d it befor

he se

o girls stood looking so

oo dark," said Charlotte, and

aid Rose, in a whisper. "I

plaided vaguely with cloudy lines of white and delicate rose-color. Ov

rently. "How thic

ood piece," Ch

ht you'd h

he lik

tty, and it's b

en whispers, over her head. It swept out around her in a gr

utiful,"

dths, had quite its natural expression. It was as if

waist," pl

ring silken sleeves of the wedding-gown. Her neck arose from it with a grand curve.

ose murmured, admiringly, smo

r-most drawer in the chest and took out a worked muslin cape, and adjusted it carefully over her s

egant,"

rlotte. She went into a closet and

eathlessly as she opened it. "O

brim with a delicate lace ruche and a wreath of feathery white flowers. Bows of white gauze ri

on," s

nder her chin in a great square bow; then she turned towards Rose. The fine white wreath under the brim

. "You look real handsome in it, Charlotte." Charlott

face. It was as if the bridal robes, which were so evident, became suddenly proofs of something tangible and real, like a garment left by

otte's face. She began u

repeated Rose

I sha

f and smoothed the creases c

d out, "I'd feel like tear

n the bandbox, and bega

d out again. "I would put that dress in the rag-bag if it was mine!" Her cheeks burned and her eyes were qu

ot anything now," Charlotte returned, in a stern voice. She laid the shining silk g

stion in her eyes. "You know you and Bar

. "Suppose we go down-stairs now.

ndows, and went out of the room. Rose followed. Charlo

said she. "Look

t is

id Rose again;

her. Rose's eyes met hers, and

rry it," said Rose. "I'll go down in

s eyes. "You're real good, R

t you

n't let's talk a

m as they entered the kitchen. Her eyes were red, and her mouth drooping; she was clearing the débris of the pies from th

n dress. When are you coming over, Aunt Sarah?

rnard, with sudden desperation. "I'm discouraged." Sh

ther," sai

t, but mine's all gone. I feel worse about you than if it was myself, an' there's so much

to be ashamed of him

said, catching her breath as if it were her dignity. "Your Uncle Cephas means well. It d

rrel pies, have you?" Rose

han some other things we eat," Sarah a

see how

s any," Sarah said, shortl

st be going

her head, and Rose went out into the spring sunlight. She bent her head as she went down the road before th

panted softly between red swelling lips as she walked; pulses beat in her crimson cheeks. Her slender figure yielded to the wind as to a lover. She passe

little way; then she paused again. Barney never looked ar

etting a little nosegay of violets with a busy air, as if that were what she had come for. She passed through the other bars into the second field, and Barney was

ng the furrows behind him. "Hullo, Ba

ut looking around, and he k

said she

alf turning, with a sl

if Rebecca

w whether sh

y to his rocking plou

" said s

el

te, and look

t stop

just a minute.

ned a stern, miserable

to Charlotte

ow what tha

ain't you asha

t stop

ok here. Charlott

ck to Rose; his very sho

don't you mak

stood

cause you didn't come back wh

He and the white hor

would." Rose's voice was full of tender inflection

the plough, and looked at her steadily. "You

of fine pleading. "Oh, Barney," she said, "poor

w how I am sit

d see her

to Cephas Barnard's house

and she'll come and meet you

t it, Rose." He looked into Rose's eyes. "You're real good, R

miled up at him, and her face was all pink and sweet and

t good," sh

know anything about it." He swung abou

top a minute,

he went on remorselessly through the opening furrow. Just before he

the way speaking to you about it, do you,

rney said. He pulled his arm away softly, and jerked the right rein to turn

e struck off across the field. Her knees tremb

she came to the Thayer house. She was going past that when she

d with a basket on her arm. "Wait a minute,