The Doctor [131]
up the chaste beauty of her face. But the hot sun beat down upon her with his fierce rays. "I must get into the shade," she said, climbed the fence, and, on the fragrant masses of red clover, threw herself down in the shade of the thorn tree. On this spot, how vividly the past came to her. How well she remembered the heartache of that day so long ago. The ache would never quite be gone, but with it mingled now a sweetness that only love knows how to distil from pity where trust is and high esteem.
A year had passed since she had sent Dick back alone to his work, remaining herself to bring the lonely hearts of the Old Mill such help and comfort as she could. At the parting with him, Barney's words, "Take care of Dick for me," had moved her to offer with shy courage to go back with him. But Dick was far too generous to avail himself of any such persuasion.
"You must not come to me for pity," he said, bidding her good-bye.
But throughout the year she had waited, listening to her heart and wondering at its throbs, as from time to time the story of Dick's heroic service came to her ears; and now the year was done. Last night he had returned. To-day he would come to her. She would meet him here. Ah, there he was now. On the crest of the hill he would turn and look toward her. There, he had turned.
As Dick caught sight of her he raised his voice in a shout, "Margaret!" and came running toward her.
She rose, and with her hands pressed hard upon her heart to quiet the throbbing that threatened to choke her, she stood waiting him.
Touching a top rail, he vaulted lightly over the fence and stood there waiting. "Margaret!" he cried again, with a note of anxiety in his voice that trembled under the intensity of his feeling.
But still she could not move for the tumult of joy that possessed her. "Oh, I am so glad," she whispered to herself. Dick came toward her slowly, almost timidly, it seemed to her. He took her hands down from her breast, held her at arm's length, seeking to read the meaning in the blue eyes lifted so bravely to his.
"For pity's sake, Margaret?" he asked, the note of anxiety deepening in his voice.
For a moment she stood pouring her heart's love into his eyes. "Yes," she said, shyly dropping her eyes before his ardent gaze, "and for love's sake, too."
And for Dick the day's gladness grew riotous, filling his world full from earth to heaven above.
End
A year had passed since she had sent Dick back alone to his work, remaining herself to bring the lonely hearts of the Old Mill such help and comfort as she could. At the parting with him, Barney's words, "Take care of Dick for me," had moved her to offer with shy courage to go back with him. But Dick was far too generous to avail himself of any such persuasion.
"You must not come to me for pity," he said, bidding her good-bye.
But throughout the year she had waited, listening to her heart and wondering at its throbs, as from time to time the story of Dick's heroic service came to her ears; and now the year was done. Last night he had returned. To-day he would come to her. She would meet him here. Ah, there he was now. On the crest of the hill he would turn and look toward her. There, he had turned.
As Dick caught sight of her he raised his voice in a shout, "Margaret!" and came running toward her.
She rose, and with her hands pressed hard upon her heart to quiet the throbbing that threatened to choke her, she stood waiting him.
Touching a top rail, he vaulted lightly over the fence and stood there waiting. "Margaret!" he cried again, with a note of anxiety in his voice that trembled under the intensity of his feeling.
But still she could not move for the tumult of joy that possessed her. "Oh, I am so glad," she whispered to herself. Dick came toward her slowly, almost timidly, it seemed to her. He took her hands down from her breast, held her at arm's length, seeking to read the meaning in the blue eyes lifted so bravely to his.
"For pity's sake, Margaret?" he asked, the note of anxiety deepening in his voice.
For a moment she stood pouring her heart's love into his eyes. "Yes," she said, shyly dropping her eyes before his ardent gaze, "and for love's sake, too."
And for Dick the day's gladness grew riotous, filling his world full from earth to heaven above.
End