“Pretty well jammed,” said he, examining the bonnet, which the women of the farm-house had removed.
Supposing he meant herself, the lady moaned,
“Oh, sir, is my face entirely crushed?”
“I meant your bonnet,” returned Ben, “though if I was to pass judgment on you, I should say some of your feathers was crumpled a little; but law, beauty ain’t but skin deep. It’s good, honest actions that makes folks liked.”
And taking the lamp, he bent to investigate, discovering to his utter amazement, that the lady was none other than Isabel Huntington!
Some weeks before, and ere Marian’s identity with Frederic’s wife had been made known, Mrs. Rivers had invited her to visit Kentucky, and as there was now nothing in Yonkers to interest her she had accepted, with the forlorn hope that spite of Frederic’s improbable story about a living wife, he might eventually be won back to his old allegiance. Accordingly she had taken the same train and car with Ben, and by rather rudely depriving him of his seat near the stove had been considerably injured, receiving several flesh wounds, besides breaking her ankle. For this last, however, she did not care; that would get well again; but her face—was it so disfigured as to spoil her boasted beauty? This was her constant thought as she lay moaning upon her pillows, and when for a few moments she was alone with Ben, whom she knew to be the Yankee peddler, and who considered it his duty to stay with her, she said to him:
“Please, Mr. Butterworth, tell me just how much I am bruised, and whether I shall probably be a fright the rest of my days.”
“Wall, now,” returned Ben, taking the lamp a second time and coming nearer to her, “there’s no knowin’ how you will look hereafter, but the fact is you ain’t none too han’some now, with your face swelled as big as two, and all scratched up with them pesky briars.”
“Yes, yes,” interrupted Isabel, “but the swelling will go down and the scratches will get well. That isn’t all.”
“You’re right,” said Ben, peering curiously at her; “that ain’t all. You know, I ’spose, that six of your front teeth are knocked out.”