Marion turned, threw both arms around Kate’s neck, kissing her over and over again.—Page 89.
“Marion!” said Kate, “I ask your pardon a thousand, million times! I never, never meant to hurt your feelings! I forgot everything but the fun I saw in the old farm-scenes, and the new fashionable school-girl out for a vacation; I did truly. I—I don’t say it would ever have occurred to me if that cousin of yours hadn’t come here, because that wouldn’t be true, and I’m as bad as George Washington” (with a little laugh now), “I can’t tell a lie; but can say that I never would have written one word of that miserable farce if I had ever dreamed it would have hurt your feelings: will you forgive me?”
Marion had listened to this long speech with varying emotions. As we know, she had been wounded by the tableaux, but her feelings had been exaggerated by her room-mates, and if the matter had been dropped at once she would probably soon have forgotten it. Kate’s apology filled her with astonishment. How could it ever have come to her knowledge that she had been wounded, and how came she to think it of enough importance to make an apology now.
Instead of answering, Marion turned, threw both arms around Kate’s neck, kissing her over and over again.
Kate, surprised in her turn, returned the kisses with much ardor.
It was a girl’s forgiveness, and its recognition, without another word. 90
Then they walked down into the grove, their arms around each other’s waists, and the belated birds, scurrying to their nests, sang evening songs to them.
On the side of the little lake that nestles in the midst of the grove, two petted frogs, grown large and lazy on the sweet things with which their visitors so freely regaled them, heard their steps, hopped up a little nearer to the well-worn path, and saluted them with an unusually loud bass.
Whether it was the influence of Miss Ashton’s words, or the generous act of apology,—the noblest showing of a noble mind that has erred,—it would be hard to tell; but, certain it is, Kate Underwood had learned a lesson this time which, let us hope, she will never forget.