Then hear me. I
believe that Miss Preston cares for him as far as lies in her young
and giddy nature. I could not, therefore, have crushed HIS hope
without deceiving him, for there are as cruel deceits prompted by
what we call reason as by our love. If you think that a knowledge
of this plain truth would help to save him, I beg you to be kinder
to him than you have been to me,--or even, let me dare to hope, to
YOURSELF."
He slowly crossed the threshold, still holding his cap lightly in
his hand.
"When I tell you that I am going away to-morrow on a leave of
absence, and that in all probability we may not meet again, you
will not misunderstand why I add my prayer to the message your
friends in Logport charged me with. They beg that you will give up
your idea of returning here, and come back to them. Believe me,
you have made yourself loved and respected there, in spite--I beg
pardon--perhaps I should say BECAUSE of your pride. Good-night and
good-bye."
For a single instant she turned her set face to the window with a
sudden convulsive movement, as if she would have called him back,
but at the same moment the opposite door creaked and her brother
slipped into the room. Whether a quick memory of the deserter's
entrance at that door a year ago had crossed her mind, whether
there was some strange suggestion in his mud-stained garments and
weak deprecating smile, or whether it was the outcome of some
desperate struggle within her, there was that in her face that
changed his smile into a frightened cry for pardon, as he ran and
fell on his knees at her feet.
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