It was enough for her that a saviour had arisen, and her
lost Adam was redeemed,--that a holier light than the autumn sun's
now rested, and would forever rest, on the one landscape of her
youth. Her eyes shone with the pure brightness of girlhood, a soft
warmth colored her cheek and smoothed away the coming lines of her
brow, and her step was light and elastic as in the old time.
Eager to escape from the crowd, she crossed the highway, dusty
with its string of returning carriages, and entered the secluded
lane. The breeze had died away, the air was full of insect-sounds,
and the warm light of the sinking sun fell upon the woods and
meadows. Nature seemed penetrated with a sympathy with her own
inner peace.
But the crown of the benignant day was yet to come. A quick
footstep followed her, and ere long a voice, near at hand, called
her by name.
She stopped, turned, and for a moment they stood silent, face to
face.
"I knew thee, Richard!" at last she said, in a trembling voice;
"may the Lord bless thee!"
Tears were in the eyes of both.
Pages:
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376