That Betty had changed in the past year, her parents would be able to see readily. Really she was prettier than ever; from her outdoor life the color in her cheeks was deeper, her lips a more vivid scarlet and the selfish, sometimes discontented lines about her mouth and forehead had wholly disappeared. Now thinking of her parents return, of how she would be able to prove her love for them by greater devotion to her father in his ill-health; that perhaps he would even teach her something of his business cares and responsibilities since Dick would be so long away completing his medical studies, her expression was very thoughtful and charming and her gray eyes unusually serious. Yet the next instant with a gay laugh Betty jumped to her feet.
“My goodness, I must hurry downstairs and see how the drawing room looks!” she exclaimed aloud. “I have been forgetting what an interesting interview we are going to have this afternoon! Dear me, I wonder what the trouble is and why Esther and I should be privileged to attend this romantic meeting? Perhaps there is going to be some kind of marriage contract, arranged in German fashion, and Esther, Rose and I are wanted as witnesses. It matters not just so I am allowed in the secret.” And Betty started running down the hall.
However, before arriving at the front steps a moment’s hesitation overtook her and she paused. The next second she had gone to the end of the passage and stood with her hand on the door-knob of the very room where she had once surprised Esther. But to-day she could hear no sounds of singing on the inside.
“I am going to peep into Esther’s old room; I wonder if she will wish this same one when she comes back to live with us again. Somehow it must affect me like the locked chamber did Bluebeard’s wife; there isn’t the least reason why I should be peering into this empty place to-day.”
The door opened quickly and Betty gave a sudden scream of terror. The room was not unoccupied, some one was kneeling over in a corner by a closed window.
The figure rose slowly to its feet. “I am sorry, Betty, I didn’t mean to frighten you. Really, dear, I didn’t dream of your coming in here.”
It was Esther Clark. In the half light Betty was now able to distinguish her perfectly. Esther’s face was extremely white, there were tears in her large pale blue eyes and her lids were red and swollen. Her big hands worked nervously as they had on that former occasion when Betty had thought her so plain and unattractive looking.
“Oh, it’s you, Esther,” Betty exclaimed in relieved tones. “Gracious, how you startled me! But I thought you were taking your music lesson. What in the world is troubling you, child, and how did you get into this house and upstairs without my knowing?”
“I came in through the kitchen and crept upstairs as quietly as possible, since I wanted to be alone here for a few minutes,” Esther explained. “Will you please leave me for a little while?”
