He recognized with
love's impatience the beauty of this young life amid the difficulties of
the Colonel's moods and Ann Penhallow's ill-concealed jealousy. A great
passion may be a very selfish thing, or in the nobler natures rise so
high on the wings of love that it casts like the singing lark no shadow
on the earth. He could wait and respect with patient affection the sense
of duty which perhaps--ah! that perhaps--made love a thing which must
wait--yes, and wait too with helpful service where she too had nobly
served.
When the day came for his first venture on a horse and he rode through
the young leafage of June, no enterprise seemed impossible. How could he
be of use to her and these dear people to whom he owed so much? War had
been costly, but it had taught him that devotion to the duty of the hour
which is one of the best lessons of that terrible schoolmaster. There
was, as he saw every day, no overruling common sense in the household of
Grey Pine, and no apparent possibility of reasonable control. Just now it
was worse than ever, and he meant to talk it over with the two McGregors.
With Josiah riding behind him, he left a message here and there in the
village, laughing and jesting, with a word of sympathy where the war had
left its cruel memories.
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