She had pictured every scene to herself—just how each cozy room should be furnished, and what vines and flowers should grow in the garden, and the pretty dresses she would wear, and how she would stand at the window and watch for handsome Harry to come home each night, and what a dear, cozy life they would lead, loving each other so dearly.
And now what of those vanished day-dreams? Ah! God in heaven pity her! they lay in ruins around her, and heart-wrecked, heart-broken, she was facing the cold, bleak world again.
It had been by the greatest effort that she had looked in Dorothy's face during the day that followed without betraying her bitter hatred of her; but as the hours crept on, and she saw Dorothy's glance wander uneasily now and then toward the clock, her intense rage grew almost uncontrollable.
"She is longing for the hours to pass, so that she may join him," thought Nadine, and her black eyes fairly scintillated at the thought.
Suddenly Dorothy raised her curly head from her work.
"Girls!" she exclaimed, shrilly and eagerly, "have you all forgotten that Monday is Labor Day? What are you going to do with yourselves?"
A score or more of voices answered at random that they thought it had been decided long since that they were all going up the Hudson on an excursion.
"I can't go on the excursion with you, girls," returned Dorothy, "for I've got another engagement."
"Bring your company with you," chorused a dozen or more of the girls.
Dorothy glanced up hastily and met Nadine's burning eyes fixed intently upon her.