Thus his thoughts ran on while he was busy about the farm, or galloping
over the country on business or pleasure. After the corn-planting and the
rush of work in May was over, he had given himself a week's outing among
the trout streams of Ulster County, and had returned with his equanimity
quite restored. To assure Amy of this, and that she had nothing more to
fear, but everything to gain, was one of his motives in asking her to take
the long sail that afternoon. He succeeded so well that a smile of very
genuine satisfaction hovered about her lips more than once. She enjoyed the
expedition exceedingly. She was grateful for the kind reception given her
by the authors who had done much to sweeten and purify the world's thought.
She was charmed with the superb scenery as on their return they glided
along in the shadows of Cro' Nest, whose sides seemed lined with a choir of
wood and veery thrushes and other wild songsters. At last they evoked the
spirit of music in her. She took an oar with Burt, and they pulled, sang,
and laughed together like careless, happy children. Yet more than once she
shyly glanced at him, and queried, Could his flushed and mirthful face be
that of the passionate lover and blighted youth of scarce a month since?
Burt said something droll, and her laugh raised a musical echo against the
steep rocks near. His wit was not its cause, but her own thought: "My plea
was that I was too young; he's very young, too.
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