He was going, when she softly called him back. “After he was baptized,” she said hurriedly, “I whispered, and told him to pray for you and me when he reached heaven. Good-night, Carl!”
The next forenoon Edith went up to her chamber to dress before dinner. She braided her hair, put on a rose-colored lawn, and fastened a velvet ribbon around her throat with the precious carbuncle. She was blissfully happy, she scarce knew why. Never had she been conscious of such delight. “How sweet, how beautiful is life!” she said to herself. “Thanks, dear Lord! I am so happy!”
She looked smilingly over her shoulder toward the door, for Clara had come running up the stairs and burst into her room.
“Edith,” she said breathlessly, “he
has come! Mr. Rowan has come! He is down in the parlor with papa, and mamma, and Melicent.”
Edith did not change her position nor say a word. She looked steadily at Clara, and waited.
“He is as handsome as a prince,” her cousin went on with enthusiasm. “He gave me this slip of paper for you. Will you be right down?”
“Go and tell him that I will come down in a minute,” Edith said quietly, and still looked at her cousin till she went out of the room and shut the door. Then, overcome by a sudden weakness, she dropped on her knees.
“I am very glad,” she said solemnly, and lifted her eyes. “I thank thee for bringing him safe home again. Help me!”
She unfolded the slip of paper, and read the line it contained: “Don’t come down, Edith, if you are going to say no to me.”