He did not press her for her reason. "You have been ill, I believe you

said?"

"Yes, very ill indeed, and there are not many who would give work to a

delicate girl. Oh, I am sorry to go----" She broke off wildly, and

the tears filled her eyes.

"Miss Anna, when one is ill, it's hard to know what is best. Don't

make up your mind just yet. Stay for a few days and give us a trial,

and just call on me when you want a bucket of water or anything else

that taxes your strength."

She tried to answer him but could not. They were the first words of

real kindness, after all these months of sorrow and loneliness, and

they broke down the icy barrier that seemed to have enclosed her heart.

She bent her head and wept silently.

"There, there, little woman," he said, patting her shoulder when he

would have given anything to put his arm around her and offer her the

devotion of his life. But Dave had a good bit of hard common sense

under his hat, and he knew that such a declaration would only hasten

her departure and the wise young man continued to be brotherly, to urge

her to stay for his mother's sake, and because it was so hard for a

young woman to find the proper kind of a home, and really she was not a

good judge of what was best for her.

And Anna, whose storm-swept soul was so weary of beating against the

rocks, listened and made up her mind to enjoy the wholesome

companionship of these good people, for a little while at least.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024