She actually believed this herself, and smiled as she reread it, thinking:
“How it will please him to read those words!”
They were the only words of love in the letter, for she had so much news to tell, including this item:
“You will be glad to hear that I like your goody-goody friend much better than I did when you were here. He has been very kind and attentive, sending to inquire about me every day, and yesterday sent beautiful flowers and a kind note, regretting so much it was not he who had saved my life instead of a stranger, and saying he would have been first to the rescue but for that aggravating Minnie Hyer clinging to him in hysterics and holding him back, till he actually pushed her into another man’s arms and escaped to assist me. You see, I am answering your letter right away, Florian, though I am propped up with pillows in bed; but I knew you would be anxious to hear from me and interested in—everything.”
When this entertaining letter reached Florian at Carlsbad, where he had found his father very low but still alive, the poor fellow was indeed almost distracted at hearing of his sweetheart’s narrow escape from death. He longed passionately, impatiently, to fly back to her side; but it was impossible to desert his sorrowing mother and slowly dying father.
“Oh, my darling, my darling, if only you would have come with me!” he groaned, as he read and reread the dear letter, hungering for words of tenderness of which he found so few.
It dawned on him presently that half her letter had been devoted to Professor Desha and her unknown rescuer.
“Confound them both!” he muttered, jealously, crossing out with pencil all the offending lines, and leaving only what referred to herself.
CHAPTER VI.
VIOLA’S REPENTANCE.