[CHAPTER VIII—THE COUNTY ATTORNEY]
“I too am going to Wind City,” said a pleasant voice at her side. “You will let me help you with your things, will you not?”
The slender girl standing before the ticket window, stuffing change into her coin purse, turned quickly.
“Why, Mr. Gordon,” she said, holding out a small hand with frank pleasure. “How very nice! Thank you, will you take my rain-coat? It has been such a bother. I would bring it right in the face of Uncle Hammond’s objections. He said it never rained out this way. But I surely have suffered a plenty for my waywardness. Don’t you think so?”
“It behooves a tenderfoot like you to sit and diligently learn of such experienced and toughened old-timers as we are, rather than flaunt your untried ideas in our faces,” responded Gordon, with a smile that transformed the keen gray eyes of this man of much labor, much lofty ambition, and much sorrow, so that they seemed for the moment strangely young, laughing, untroubled; as clear of taint of evil knowledge as the source of a stream leaping joyously into the sunlight from some mountain solitude. It was a revelation to Louise.
“I will try to be a good and diligent seeker after knowledge of this strange land of yours,” she answered, with a little laugh half of embarrassment, half of enjoyment of this play of nonsense, and leading the way to her suit-case and Mary outside. “When I make mistakes, will you tell me about them? Down East, you know, our feet travel in the ancient, prescribed circles of our forefathers, and they are apt to go somewhat uncertainly if thrust into new paths.”
And this laughing, clever girl had cried with homesickness! Well, no wonder. The worst of it was, she could never hope to be acclimated. She was not—their kind. Sooner or later she must go back to God’s country.
To her surprise, Gordon, though he laughed softly for a moment, answered rather gravely.
“If my somewhat niggardly fate should grant me that good fortune, that I may do something for you, I ask that you be not afraid to trust to my help. It would not be half-hearted—I assure you.”
She looked up at him gratefully. His shoulders, slightly stooped, betokening the grind at college and the burden-bearing in later years, instead of suggesting any inherent weakness in the man, rather inspired her with an intuitive faith in their quiet, unswerving, utter trustworthiness.