She felt the hours pass with benediction.
Once she looked toward the little window and saw the unfamiliar stars of the after-night upon the curtain of the sky.
She heard the child’s soft breathing in the improvised crib beyond, and at false dawn she heard Old John crow from the rafters.
At the first grey light she lifted her face and with a smile at her lips’ corners she murmured the ancient words of David’s immortal thanksgiving:
“The King shall joy in Thy strength, Oh, Lord; and in Thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! For Thou hast made him most blessed forever; Thou hast made him exceeding glad with Thy countenance. Thou hast given him the desire of his heart. Selah.”
“Mammy,” she said at breakfast, “I’ve got to tell you something—you and Bud.”
There was a soft radiance about her long blue eyes, a helpless surrender to the smiles that would keep coming on her features.
Her mother looked at her calmly.
“Well?” she said.
But over Bud’s young face there passed a spasm of pain.