“The dear child! How happy she is in her love for Ralph!” she mused. “Well, if she loves him and he is kind to her, what does it matter? After all, it is one’s happiness that is to be considered first. Oh, I wonder if I shall ever be really and truly happy?” Then, strangely enough, two faces appeared suddenly before her mind. They were both handsome, both young, and both fired with manly purpose, and peculiarly enough, they were both of men who possessed great riches.
The first picture was that of a tall young man, with dark, trusting eyes and a tender smile that was almost irresistible.
The other was of a blonde, with bright, laughing blue eyes, yet with a frankness and alertness of expression which won one’s confidence immediately.
The first picture was that of an old friend who was now abroad—Mr. Archibald Ray, the young man who had aided her in her search for Dollie. The other was that of Reginald Brookes, the medical student—the one whom her friend, Miss Allyn, had said was just the kind of a man that she should marry.
When the girls awoke the next morning they were as happy as larks. There was so much to be talked over in regard to their plans for the future.
Miss Allyn went downtown to her work, early, as usual, but she astonished the girls by coming in at noon and bringing a tall, dark gentleman with her.
“My fiancé, Mr. Colebrook,” she said, with a deep blush. “You must forgive me, girls, but I could not tell you any sooner.”
“Oh, how perfectly lovely!” cried Dollie, giving her a hug. “To think that you, too, are in love, and we never even guessed it!”
Marion smiled as cordially as possible as she greeted Mr. Colebrook, but there was something about him that repelled her strangely.