Now he knew that her very
world was shaken; that her soul was stunned and reeling; that she was
fighting with all her strength for a brief outward composure.
He had loved her for months, but he had never so loved her as in this
hour when all her artificial defenses had been battered down and she
had been just a bewildered, agonized girl, with just the emotions and
first thoughts that any other normal girl would have had under the
same circumstances. His great desire had been to be with her, to
comfort her, help her; but he realized that she had been correct in
her instinct to be by herself for a while, to try to comprehend it
all, to try to think her way out.
When Maggie was out of sight he excused himself from having tea, left
Hunt and Miss Sherwood upon the veranda, and sought his study. But
though he had neglected his work the whole day, he now gave it no
attention. He sat at his desk and thought of Maggie: tried to think of
what she was going to do. Her situation was so complicated with big
elements which she would have to handle that he could not foretell
just what her course would be. It was a terrific situation for a young
woman, who was after all just a very young girl, to face alone. But
there was nothing for him but to wait for news from her.
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