I looked her
slowly and fully in the face.
"It is Colonel Meriwether," I answered. "He has come on unexpectedly
from the West. His daughter is there also, I think. I have not yet seen
her."
"That woman!" breathed Grace Sheraton, sinking back upon her seat. Her
eye glittered as she turned to me. "Oh, I see it all now--you have been
with them--_you have met her again!_ My God! I could kill you both--I
could--I say I could!"
"Listen," I whispered to her, putting a hand on her wrist firmly. "You
are out of your head. Pull up at once. I have not seen or heard from
either of them. I did not know they were coming, I tell you."
"Oh, I say, Cowles," sang out Stevenson, at that moment running out,
flushed and laughing. "What do you think, here's my Colonel come and
caught me at my leave of absence! He's going across the mountains, over
to his home in Albemarle. We're all to be at Henry together. But I
suppose you met them--"
"No, not yet," I said. "I've just got in myself."
We both turned to the girl sitting pale and limp upon the seat of the
wagonette. I was glad for her sake that the twilight was coming.
The courage of her family did not forsake Grace Sheraton.
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