"Oh, Uncle Jasper, how glad I am to hear you say that!" she cried delightedly, and getting up from her chair she moved swiftly to his side, and putting her arms around his neck kissed his withered cheek.
He was deeply touched by this spontaneous act of affection; and as for Joy, she felt at that moment that she had not a worry or a trouble in the world.
[CHAPTER XXI.]
A CARRIAGE ACCIDENT.
JOY rose on the following morning with the exhilarating sensation that something very pleasant had happened. Sir Jasper's disbelief in her integrity had been the one cloud on the horizon of her happiness during the past few weeks; and now that he had laid his suspicion of her aside, she felt that she could easily forgive Celia for having allowed her to remain in a false position so long, and could welcome her home with a light heart. It would have been unnatural if Joy had entertained no resentment against her sister, for she was fully conscious of the selfishness and cowardice of her conduct, but she tried to make allowances for her, and was very grieved because she and Celia had been drifting apart. Formerly she had been inclined to set Celia on a pedestal; but though her idol had fallen, she did not love her sister any the less on that account.
"I will meet her as though nothing had ever come between us," Joy thought. "Poor Celia! I am sure she was grieved when Uncle Jasper treated me so unjustly; but she did not like to speak out and tell the truth. There, I won't think anything more about it! I'll tell her we'll let bygones be bygones and we'll be better friends than ever."
Joy knelt down to pray with a very happy heart; and when she had poured out all her deep thankfulness to God, she joined her mother and brother at the breakfast-table.
"You look as bright as a May morning, Joy," Mrs. Wallis told her. "I suppose that is with the thought of Celia's return?"
"Yes, partly that," Joy responded, smilingly, "and partly something else. Mother! Eric! Do you know, I've made Uncle Jasper believe at last that I really am truthful, that I am not the storyteller he thought!"
"Bravo!" cried Eric, heartily. "So Uncle Jasper's come to his senses, has he?"