And he succeeded
fairly well for a time, only the girl's intuition divined his motive and
guessed his sentiments. She was ever in fear that his restraint would
give way. And yet she felt that she ought to reward him for what she
mentally termed his "sensible behavior" and indicate that such should be
his course in the future. But this was a delicate and difficult task. In
spite of all the accumulated beauty of the season the day was less
bright, less full of the restful, happy _abandon_ of the previous one in
March, when Webb had been her undemonstrative attendant. He, with
Leonard, at that busy period found time to look in upon the revellers in
the woods but once. Mr. Clifford spent more time with them, but the old
gentleman was governed by his habit of promptness, and the time called
for despatch.
For the children, however, it was a revel that left nothing to be
desired. They had decided that it should be a congress of flowers, from
the earliest that had bloomed to those now opening in the sunniest
haunts. Alf, with one or two other adventurous boys, had climbed the
northern face of old Storm King, and brought away the last hepaticas,
fragrant clusters of arbutus, and dicentras, for "pattykers, arbuties,
and Dutcher's breeches," as Ned called them, were favorites that could
not be spared. On a sunny slope dogwood, well advanced, was found. There
were banks white with the rue-anemone, and they were marked, that some of
the little tuber-like roots might be taken up in the fall for forcing in
the house.
Pages:
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286