"If, uncle Rolf," said Fleda, her heart swelling to her eyes.
He turned away, without answering her.
Fleda sat down in the easy chair, then, and cried, but that lasted very few minutes; she soon left crying for herself to pray for him, that he might have the blessing he did not know. That did not stop tears. She remembered the poor man sick of the palsy, who was brought in by friends to be healed, and that "Jesus seeing their faith, said unto the sick of the palsy, 'Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.' " It was a handle that faith took hold of and held fast, while love made its petition. It was all she could do, she thought; she never could venture to speak to her uncle on the subject.
Weary and tired, tears and longing at length lost themselves in sleep. When she awaked, she found the daylight broadly come, little King in her lap, the fire, instead of being burnt out, in perfect preservation, and Barby standing before it, and looking at her.
"You ha'n't got one speck o' good by this journey to New
York," was Miss Elster's vexed salutation.
"Do you think so?" said Fleda, rousing herself. "I wouldn't venture to say as much as that, Barby."
"If you have, 'tain't in your cheeks," said Barby, decidedly. "You look just as if you was made of anything that wouldn't stand wear, and that isn't the way you used to look."
"I have been up a good while without breakfast my cheeks will be a better colour when I have had that, Barby they feel pale."
The second breakfast was a cheerfuller thing. But when the second traveller was despatched, and the rest fell back upon their old numbers, Fleda was very quiet again. It vexed her to be so, but she could not change her mood. She felt as if she had been whirled along in a dream, and was now just opening her eyes to daylight and reality. And reality she could not help it looked rather dull after dream-land. She thought it was very well she was waked up; but it cost her some effort to appear so. And then she charged herself with ingratitude, her aunt and Hugh were so exceedingly happy in her company.
"Earl Douglass is quite delighted with the clover hay, Fleda. said Hugh, as the three sat at an early dinner.