“I marvel that you feared to tell me anything I ought to know.”
“I did not exactly fear, sir, but I knew ’twould be unwelcome, and mayhap too soon to do good.”
“Well. Leave skirmishing, and come out boldly with whatever it may be. I’ll listen, at least.”
And folding his arms and setting his lips, the soldier faced her with just the mien he would have worn in submitting to an amputation upon the field of battle. An answering courage lighted the face of the young woman, and although Standish did not then consciously notice how beautiful she was, doubtless that beauty made itself felt.
But brave as she was, Betty could not steadily endure the sombre flame of eyes that seemed to pierce the very core of her heart, and her own gaze, after a little wandering, fixed upon the thatched roof-tree in the plain below, where her baby girl lay asleep in its cradle, and her voice was calm and steady as she made reply.
“It was in the last night that our dear Lora was with us, and you had just gone somewhat hastily out of the room and out of the house”—
“Ay.”
“And Lora looked after you a moment while her lips moved in prayer. Then she turned to me and said,—
“‘Dear father! He’ll miss me sore, and he’ll grieve out of measure that he denied me my love,’”—
A bitter, bitter groan burst from the father’s lips, and he buried his face in his hands for a moment, but uttered no word. Betty paused for a moment, and went on more softly,—