You know Miss he's always been like a limb of
the family--and it seems unfair."
"Yes, yes Hannah, I will go!" I interrupted eagerly, "tell him, I
shall be down in a moment." I flew to the glass, and began to smoothen
my ruffled hair, it was better after all to go down, as if nothing
were the matter, he was only my friend, my good, trustworthy friend,
and I was not treating him as he merited to be treated in this
capacity.
Having restored some order to my appearance, I followed old Hannah
down the broad stairway, and entered the drawing-room. He was standing
by the mantel, with his back turned, as I went in; in one hand, he
held his hat and stick, in the other some vagrant trifle he had taken
from the mantel-piece, and which he was studying with seemingly great
interest and attention.
At the sound of my foot-fall, he turned slowly around, and came
forward to greet me; his face was very serious, and his manner steady
and quiet.
"I am glad you have come Amey!" he said, as he took my hand and held
it tenderly for a moment, "I feared you would send me away again
to-day--although, I do not wish to intrude upon you in your grief. I
hear, you are going away!" he then added, motioning me to a seat, and
throwing himself half wearily into another, "Is it true?"
"Yes, my cousin, Mrs. Nyle, has written for me," I answered timidly,
"and I have decided to go--to-morrow!"
"To-morrow!" he repeated with some surprise.
"Yes, to-morrow morning, the others take the afternoon train for their
destination," I said quietly.
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