 CHAPTER VII. The long journey was anything but what it had promised to be when it was anticipated. The cariol containing the three girls headed the procession. They were talking in subdued and frightened tones, Madeline and Cordelia endeavoring to find out from Betty more than the child really knew. When she could not satisfy their curiosity and anxiety with facts, she supplied them with running comments on human nature and her elder brother in particular. Now and again they pulled her up sharply with, Betty be still or I am ashamed of you Elizabeth you jumped to conclusions I am sure there must be some explanation Charles was very wrong to tell you until he made sure about it you see mother does not believe the story or she would never go mother wouldn't believe Harrington had done wrong if she saw him do it declared Betty irreverently now Betty how you talk one would think you didn't love Harrington well I don't very much and that's a fact shrug Betty Charles is worth two of him Harrington always hushes me up when he comes home and talks as if I were a baby yet besides he is selfish look how he wouldn't take me to Harriet Howe Gates corn husking when he was home the last time just because he was too lazy to change his clothes I don't see why I should love him if I don't just because he happens to belong to the same family I'm sure he can't love us much or he wouldn't have gone off so long ago and stayed away from us so much why Betty said Madeline shocked he had to go and earn his living and make a man's way in the world no he didn't he could have stayed at home and gone into business with father as father wanted him to I haven't a bit of patience with Harrington I'm sure Betty that's a very shocking way to talk about your own brother and mother would highly disprove said Madeline if I were you I should keep still Betty advise Cordelia Betty pouted and a solemn silence settled upon the three as the old gray horse plotted sleepily over the road the occupants of the coach were by no means at ease and Martha sat shriveled in the back seat with the ready tears coursing silently down her cheeks she had heard enough of what her brother had told his wife to be filled with gloomy apprehensions and Martha was always sure of the worst madam Winthrop set severely silent with her delicate cameo features held high her keen blue eyes never wavered nor did her firm thin lips quiver apparently she had not one misgiving and her only regret seemed to be that the rest of the family had taken leave of their senses she looks straight in front of her ignoring the sad gray head of her husband and the yellow curls of the strong young son with whom she was offended they would all see their mistake soon enough and meantime she was giving them a bit of a lesson not to doubt the idol of her heart to do her justice she firmly believe she was right and was amazed that her husband had taken the attitude he had of course Harrington would not do such a dreadful thing such things did not happen in real life it was out of the question she dismissed the subject with that and fell to going over her own arrangements and the wardrobe of the family with satisfaction the sound of the horses hooves on the old cordroy road and the husky crickets by the wayside beat a funeral dirge for the heart of the father in the front seat his countenance was heavy and now and again he brought forth an audible sigh the lugrious attitude of her family annoyed madam Winthrop she turned to her sister in law sharply for pity's sake Martha do stop sniveling one would think you were going to a funeral instead of to a wedding I must say I don't think you honor your nephew very much showing such distrust in him to wipe your eyes and sit up if you go on this way you won't be able to come to the ceremony tomorrow morning and you know how it will annoy Harrington I must say Mr. Winthrop you are acting in a very strange manner for the father of such son she always called him Mr. Winthrop when he had offended her at other times it was father her husband turned in the seat and faced her solemnly Janet he said sadly it's no use for you to try to blind yourself to the truth you'll only have it harder to bear in the end you might as well understand the awful truth that our boy Harrington has committed a great sin and we ought to be thankful that it was discovered before any more harm was done you don't seem to see what a task we've got before us to tell that father and his innocent young daughter that the man whom they trusted our son has played them false now Mr. Winthrop I don't want to hear another word of such talk you must be beside yourself madam Winthrop half a rose in her seat and cried out shrilly stop it I say don't you dare such say such words in my presence again if you do I shall get right out of this carriage and walk walk I tell you and what will the servants think of you then you will find out your mistake in do time of course and be ashamed of yourself until then I must ask you not to speak to me on the subject no Charles don't you dare to interfere between me and your father again I have had enough of your disrespect for one day just keep absolutely quiet until you can speak in a proper way I simply will not stand such she sat up with dignity and spoke to them both as if they were naughty children her husband looked into her eyes sadly for a moment and then turned deliberately back to his horses he knew by former experience that was well nigh impossible to convince his wife of anything against her will well she would have to go on and take the consequences of her stubbornness there was no other way and perhaps it was as well for with her excitable nature there was no telling what state it might throw her into once she realized the truth about her idolized son she might lose consciousness and have to be carried back and so perhaps delay them his first duty now was to tell the sad truth to his old friend Van Ronelsler and his poor daughter every step that the horses took made him shrink more and more from the task before him it seemed that a shame and disgrace were being burnt into his soul with a red hot iron he kept thinking how we should tell his story to his host when he reached his journey's end and the horses hooves beat out the dirge of a funeral while keeping pace behind with decorous bearing wrote the two old servants pondering what a cast a shadow over the gay party they had hoped to escort as the young man in the front seat of the coach sat and frown at the shining chestnut back of the horses he was conning over and over a thought that his sister had put into his heart and each time it ran like sweet fire along his veins until it began to seem a possibility and fairly took his breath away the day was wonderful the air was fine and rare the sky clear with not a fleck of cloud to mar the blue a blue that fairly called attention to itself as being bluer than ever but not one of all that little company of weddinggoers sought the foliage everywhere was washed fresh for the occasion by a shower that had passed in the night diamonds strung themselves from grass blade to grass blade and bejembed even the mullion stocks late dandelions flared and gleamed shy sweet briar smiled here and there by the roadside in delicate pink cups inviting the bees the birds in the trees were singing everywhere and the sweet winds lifted branches and played a subdued accompaniment to the soul of the young man their music came in happy harmonies and while he was not conscious of it little by little they began to play him a kind of wedding march the joyous melody of his thoughts now glad now fearful yet ever growing sweeter and more sure of the victorious climax he grew presently unconscious of the in harmony behind him of aunt Martha and her efforts not to sniff of his mother's disapproval and of his father's heavy heart he thought only of the girl whom he had seen upon the hillside and the smile her eyes had given him as they met his every time he thought upon it now his heart beats quickened all the pent up flood of emotion that she had said going that spring afternoon upon the Hudson hillside and that he had fought bravely all these weeks and thought he had conquered came now upon him with the power of stored up energy and swept over his being in a flood tied up gladness in vain he shamed himself for such unseemly joy when his only brother was in disgrace in vain he told himself that the girl bride would be plunged into grief when her bridegroom turned out to be no bridegroom at all still his heart would catch the faint melody of the wedding march those birds and winds and branches were breathing and would go singing along with a new gladness the morning was a silent one for the whole party even the coachman checked Pompey's levity when a robin chased a chipmunk across a distant path and the old dark he snapped him up sharply when he ventured a question or a wonder of a marsa and missus but while each held to his own thoughts and the horses sped willingly over the miles in the heart of the young man in the front seat was growing a steady purpose about noon they stopped at an inn to dine and give the horses a brief respite madam wintrope would not lie down as they urged her nor would she permit her husband or her son to talk with her concerning the forbidden theme she kept the three girls with her also that nothing might be said to them to prejudice them against their brother and martha however unable to bear up longer under the scornful scrutiny of her sister-in-law was glad to take refuge on the high four poster bed that the landlady put at our service and weep a few consoling tears into the homespun linen pillow slip and martha was by no means sure that all was well with the boy whom she adored though she acknowledged to herself that he had his weaknesses had she not seen those very weaknesses from babyhood upward and helped many times to hide them from his blind mother and adoring sisters her fearful soul accepted the possibility of his sin yet loved him in spite of it all she resented the thought that public opinion would be against harrington if he had done this thing and could she have had her way would have had public opinion changed to suit his special need she felt in her secret soul that prodigies like harrington should not be expected to follow the laws like ordinary mortals madam wintrope sat bolt upright in a wooden chair and eyed her three daughters suspiciously now and then she made a remark about their conduct at the wedding and they acquiesced meekly they had learned never to dispute with their mother when she was in her present mood charles and his father wandered by common consent into the woods nearby it was the son who spoke first father i've been thinking all the morning about what you said of her miss fan renseller he spoke the name shyly reverently and his heart throbbed painfully he felt himself very young and presumptuous the bright color glowed in his face it will be terrible for her he breathed the words as if they had hurt him yes assented father i cannot get her out of my mind the poor innocent child think of betty charles pose it was betty the young man frowned father did you ever see her knows that the older man wondering at his son's vehemence did you yes i saw her once when i met harrington on my way to boston i stopped off with him at the school where she was being educated and we saw her she's beautiful father beautiful and very young she looked as if she could not stand a thing like this as if it might crush her don't you think we ought to do something for her to make it easier isn't it our place i mean say father in the bible you know when the older brother died or failed in any way the younger brother had to take up the obligation do you understand what i mean father do you think i could i mean do you think she would let me it wouldn't be so public and mortifying you know and i think girls care a great deal about that betty would i'm sure the father looked up in astonishment what do you mean charles do you mean you would marry her why yes father that's what i meant what do you think of it the boy and him came to the front for an instant and looked out of his eyes though he shrank from the blunt way the older man had of stating facts his father eyed him keenly but you're only a boy charles and you're not through college yet how could you marry i'm past 21 boasted the boy and vanished into the man a graver look came out his face i could leave college if it were necessary or i could go on and finish i could work part of the time and take care of her the last words he breathed gently reverently like a benediction the father stopped in the wooded path and grasped his son's hand boy you've got good stuff in you i'm proud of you he said lifting his head triumphantly if only your brother had been like that then he bowed his head in bitter thought but the young man's thoughts were not unharing to now he grasps his father's hand and waited impatiently for further words from him well father the old man lifted his head but boy you do not know her you have seen her only once you can't spoil your own life that way a flood of color went over the younger face and into his eyes came a depth of earnestness that showed his father that the man had awakened in his son he was no longer a boy father i do not need to know her i love her already i have loved her ever since i saw her that was why i did not want to come to the wedding i felt i could not bear it the kindly older gaze searched the fine young face tenderly but the lover's eyes looked back at him and wavered not is it so son the words were grave then god pity you and bless you he added with an upward look i am afraid there is no easy way ahead of you yet i am proud to call you my son after this they walked on silently through the woods over a pathway of flecked gold where the sunlight sifted through the leafy branches no sound came to interrupt the silence beyond the whisking of a squirrel or the flirt of a bird's wings in the branches the dinner bell peeled forth from the end and they turned quietly to retrace their steps they were almost in the side of the house before either spoke then the father said son she does not know you have you any idea how she will take all this none at all father it was spoken humbly what is your idea have you made any plans not yet only that i sure shall tell her at once if i may and let her decide if she is willing the wedding may go on as planned a light came into the older man's face so he looked troubled well said charles perhaps you may succeed but i fear i fear nevertheless your noble action helps me to hold up my head and look her father in the eye if i have one son who is a scoundrel at least i have one who is not and who is willing to face his brother's obligations they went in then and sat down to a dinner of which both were able to partake more enjoyably than either had supposed possible charles isn't there going to be an awful time when we get there whispered betty as they passed out to the carriages i hope not betty said charles with a solemn light in his eyes that made the girl wonder charles took a seat besides his father with hopefulness and all that long afternoon the music of nature rang on but now to both men the dirge was almost lost in the swelling and sounding of the wedding march end of chapter seven recording by rosamund kinsley 98 chapter eight of dawn of the morning this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox.org recording by rosamund kinsley 98 dawn of the morning by grace livingston hill chapter eight all the afternoon madame wenthrope had steadily refused to converse about her oldest son the party were nearing the edge of town where the van rensellers lived twice charles had endeavored to bring his mother's mind to the subject and once his father had said now mother it is absolutely necessary that you put aside your attitude and let me tell you all about this matter but to all advances she was adamant i shall never allow you to say such wicked things about my son declared the old lady rising from her seat and attempting to get out of the coach they were compelled to give it up and trust to developments the stars were coming out when they entered the village streets the father called to his daughters to wait a moment and he stopped the coach horses turning around in a seat he faced his wife janet said he and his voice was firm as when he was a young man it is best that the family stop at the inn while charles and i go on to the house and make the family acquainted with the truth i wish you and martha and the girls to stop here and wait until our return the old lady looked ahead impatiently as if she did not see her husband i shall do nothing of the kind mr winthrop she said you may as well save time by driving on the anger was rising in the old gentleman's face he had been defied for years and had born it with fortitude and a measure of amusement he had always felt that he could assert himself when he chose but now he had chosen and apparently he had been mistaken all these ears his wife would not obey it was mortifying and especially before his son and his sister he turned sharply to martha sitting frightened and meek in the dark corner of the coach martha get out he commanded in a tone she had never disobeyed martha proceeded to obey hastily don't you do any such foolish thing martha winthrop you stay right where you are i won't have any scenes said mad up winthrop martha paused and put her midded hand on her heart martha this is my carriage and you are my sister and i tell you to get out martha had not heard that voice from her brother's lips for 40 years she got out pompei caesar to the two negroes who drove up at that moment see that the ladies are cared for in the inn until our return attend to the other carriage and tell the young ladies it is my wish that they remain in the inn parlor until i come back with grave dignity the master of the situation guided his horse past the cariol and down the dim evening street mad up winthrop sat amazed with two red spots on her cheeks it seems to me mr winthrop she said coldly when they had gone some distance that you are carrying things with a pretty high hand if had i had known that such traits would ever develop in you i am sure i should have never left the shelter of my father's house her husband made no reply as the coach drew up before the final house mr van renseller came out to greet the arrivals madam winthrop set up with grave dignity and allowed him to hand her down and escort her into the house mrs van renseller met her with the nervous ceremony in the wide hall and took her into the stately parlor once there the lady looked about her as if in search of someone scarcely noticing her hostess where is my son she asked i suppose he would be here will you tell harrington that his mother wishes to see him at once it is most important your son has not yet arrived said the other woman watching her jealously we do not expect him until the morning train she mentioned the train with an air of pride for the new railroad was a matter of vast importance to the little city a few miles of railroad was a wonderful distinction in a land when railroads had just begun to be but the guest had no recognition for such things not here yet i suppose of course he would have arrived then if it is convenient i will go directly to my room as i am very much worn out no thank you i could not eat a mouthful tonight you may send me a cup of tea if you please don had fled in a panic far into the depths of the garden crouched behind the tall clipped hedges her heart beating wildly she listened while frightened tears stood in her eyes if she had dared if she had known where to go she would have fled out into the dark unknown world at that moment so did her heart revolt at the thought of her marriage she listened the night was very sweet with roses and honeysuckles and the faint waft of mignette all about her mingled with the breath of heliotrope but only the night sounds came to her the plaintive cricket monotonously playing his part in the symphony of the evening the treetodes shrily piping here and there with the bass of a frog in the mill pond just below the hill the screech owl coming in with his obligato the murmur of a brook in the ravine not far away and the sighing of the nightwind overall a sudden hush seemed to have come over the house with only the faint echo of voices oh if there were but a place in the world where she might slip away and never be found it would be terrible to leave them that way with the wedding all prepared but she would not care what she did if only she might get away from it all the coach had been sent to the stables and the gentlemen were closeted with mr van renseller in his library the room made memorable to dawn by so many sorrowful scenes it was right and fitting that the revelation should be made within the somber walls where had been enacted so many tragedies connected with the little girl what passed within that door no one knew exactly save the three who took part in the low voiced conversation the lady of the house sat in gloomy mortification within her stately parlor reviewing with vex mine the recent interview between herself and the mother of the bridegroom mrs van renseller decided that the other woman was a most unpleasant person with whom she wished to have as little to do as possible in future it was well that she and her step daughter had little in common if this was the kind of family she was marrying into the low tones in the library went on the lady of the house did not like the idea of being shut out what could they be talking about how very strange had something happened to the bridegroom they looked so solemn when they came in mrs van renseller caught her breath at the thought it would be nothing short of a catastrophe to have the girl bride on her hands if the wedding were to be delayed for any reason the child was almost beside herself now with excitement and nervousness it was positively uncanny to have her around she was making herself sick one could see that at a glance even if one didn't love her very much of course she would settle down and be all right after she was married girls always did this girl was particularly headstrong and it was as well that her prospective husband was older than herself and would be able to control her wild fancies and put her through wise discipline mrs van renseller was one of those who think all women save themselves need discipline while she meditated dawn flitted in at the front door noiselessly and stole up the stair like a wreath her white dress flashing by the parlor before her stepmother could sense what it was the woman started angrily it was one of the things about the girl that vexed her this stealing softly by and giving no warning that she was near her stepmother named its slideness in a moment more the library door opened and her name was called she went into the hall with an attitude that said plainly she felt insulted by the way things were going whereas jamaima asked her husband and she saw by his face that something unusual had happened his look was that he had worn the day he came home from seeing his dead wife jamaima indeed why did he not consult her first she bustled up to the door jamaima has gone to a room she said decidedly by this time she has retired it would be better not to disturb her she has been very nervous and excited all day to the two guests inside the library the protest sounded like loving solicitation perhaps the woman meant it should she had been warned to show her interest thus before dawn's father and seldom let him know her true feeling toward the girl mr. van rensellers severe brow did not relax he was used to having life thickened around him in hard experiences both for himself and for those who were dependent upon him it will be necessary for her to know tonight i think maria he said sit down and i will give you the facts it may be best for you to tell her after all with the injured importance of one who feels she should have been told at the first mrs. van rensellers sat upon the extreme edge of a stiff chair grudgingly not to seem too eager to be told maria mr. winthrop has kindly come to inform us of a most unfortunate state of things relating to the young man who was to have married jamaima tomorrow morning mr. van rensellers held her breath and her face actually blanched with the vision of the future was to have married then something had occurred to stop it her premonitions had been correct well she would do something to get that whimsical minks out of her house anyway her husband didn't think she was to live her lifetime out in the same house with that girl she set her lips together hard in a thin line of defense i realized that the whole thing is painful in the extreme to my friend mr. winthrop so it is not necessary for us to discuss the matter at length it is sufficient for you and my daughter to know that it has been discovered by mr. winthrop that his son herrington is already married to a woman who is still living and who is the mother of his two children the situation is most embarrassing on both sides and it will be necessary for my daughter to understand it at once there was a quick eager movement of the young man on the other side of the big desk but no one noticed him mrs. van rensellers was perhaps the only one in the room whose heart was not wrong with the anguish of the moment a most unpleasant state of things mr. winthrop she said sharply turning to the elder guest the old man bowed his head in ascent to overcome to reply but one for which mr. winthrop and his family are no wise to blame of course said mr. van rensellers quickly i suppose not said his wife dryly in a tone which implied that there was more than one way of looking at the matter the first thing is to tell jamaima said her father i'm sure i don't in the least see why responded his wife the first thing is to plan what is to be done jamaima is far better off asleep until we arrange it all she will make a fuss of course girls always make a fuss whatever happens charles i the woman indignantly the color rising in his face but mr. van rensellor i he began eagerly yes certainly mr. winthrop i am coming to that there is another matter maria that slightly changes the affair this young man mr charles winthrop has most thoughtfully offered a suggestion which may help us out of the dilemma in which we are all placed mrs. van rensellor turned toward him sharply and saw that he was good to look upon well she said dryly as her husband hesitated if miss van rensellor is willing put in charles shyly with a wistful eyes and a smile that would have melted any but a woman with a heart made of pig iron mrs. van rensellor pursed her lips at the miss applied to jamaima and thought in her heart she would see that miss van rensellor was willing for anything that would help them out of this most embarrassing situation mr. winthrop has offered his hand to my daughter went on the father dropping his eyes and getting out the sentence stiffly it was all painful to him somehow in the last few minutes it had come to him that she who had been mary montgomery would think he had bungled her daughter's life most terribly he was shaken with the thought it had been a relief to think that the girl was to be happily married but now he proposes to marry her himself tomorrow morning at the hour appointed for the other marriage went on mr van rensellor with her consent of course put in charles very commendable i'm sure commented mrs van rensellor while she did some rapid thinking here was her chance the girl must marry this young man whether she would or no all those relatives who were coming tomorrow should not have a chance to scoff at her proud arrangements the stepmother desired that they should all see how well she had done for the girl who was not her own besides he was a goodly youth full as handsome as the other man and of the same family what was there to object to the girl might even be pleased though there was no forecasting that such a queer girl would probably do the opposite from what was expected of her the matter with her was that she was too young to know what she did want and in the present circumstances it was best for her that someone else should decide her fate she mrs van rensellor would decide it she would take matters into her own hands and see that all went the way it should go meantime she picked at a bit of thread on her immaculate gown and to make time for thought murmured again most commendable i'm sure charles face lighted with hope he was ready to fall upon the cold-looking lady's neck and embrace her if that would hasten matters he thought she looked more pleasing than when he had first seen her i think mr van rensellor you would do well to leave this matter in my hands now as you say it is a very delicate situation and one that must be handled most carefully i will go to jamaim at once and talk with her i must break the news gently of course of course the poor lamb murmured the kind old father of the reprobate bridegroom she is very nervous and quite unstrung with the day's preparation went on the stepmother the more to work her will upon the feelings of those present of course of course poor child don't distress her any more than is necessary i beg it is dreadful for her dreadful but it isn't quite as if she had never seen me put in charles wistfully teller i have loved her from the first side i had of her the woman turned the chilly searchlight of her eyes upon the young man's ardent face and a sense of foreboding passed over him poor soul she was only wondering what it must be like to have someone talk in that way about one still she was keen to see an advantage and knew it would help her in the task she had set herself to get rid of her stepdaughter whatever you think best maria assented don's father wearily he was glad after all not to have to tell the girl he had come to fear her eyes which were like her mother's and her temper which was his own of course of course said old mr winthrop don's father bowed once more his assent in his heart he heard again the words you have no right you have no right with the sin of his youth never be expiated by sorrow mrs vanrenseller arose i will go up and talk with her she said coolly as though it were quite an ordinary matter under discussion you will ask her to come down and let me talk to her as charles following her into the hall i think perhaps i can make her see it better than anyone else the woman looked him over frowning this ardent youth was going to be hard to control she must be wary or he would upset all their plans as well as his own i will see what is best she answered coolly remember she has retired and this will be a great shock to her it would be better for you to give her a little time to recover in to think it over leave it to me i will do my best for you she tried to smile but conveyed rather an expression of arrogance than of anything else of course the young man do back thoughtfully do not hurry her she passed up the stairs and charles wandered out the front door and into the moonlit garden he stood and listened to the harmony of sound and looked up reverently toward a chamber window where glimmered a candlelight he wondered if even now she was listening to his message and his heart was lifted high with hope end of chapter eight recording by rosamond kingsley chapter nine of dawn of the morning this is a libravox recording all libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libravox.org recording by barbara hail dawn of the morning by grace livingston hill chapter nine when mrs van rancelier came downstairs a half hour later she found charles and the parlor anxiously awaiting her coming her face was bland and encouraging she tried to smile those smiles were foreign to her nature well she said seating herself and signing to the young man to take a chair opposite her she is naturally very much shocked of course she would be said charles somewhat sadly and waited i think as i said it will take her a few hours to become adjusted to the new state of things and it would not be well for you to see her tonight there will be plenty of time in the morning the hour was set late so that all the relatives could arrive you know she will undoubtedly accept your proposal but you must give her a little time you think she will ask the man brightening all that is good certainly i can wait until morning poor little girl it must be very hard for her a hard glitter in his hostess's eye did not encourage conversation along these lines and he soon excused himself to go and meet his father who had gone to the inn to see that the rest of the family were comfortable for the night the household settled to quiet at last but it was like the sullen silence before a storm a heavy burden had fallen upon mr van rancelier he seemed to be arraigned before his first wife's searching eyes for the trouble that had befallen their child he could not get away from the vision of her dead face his wife spent the night in feverish planning for the morning a fiendish determination in her heart to be rid of her stepdaughter no matter what she had to do to resort in order to compass it mr windthrip had leisure now to think upon his oldest son and the sin which he had been about to commit and tears trickled down his cheeks as he watched through the long hours of the night his wife fousaged him no word or look to all appearances she was asleep but no one would ever know what struggles were going on within her soul perhaps she was holding herself in abeyance for the coming of the beloved son who would explain all in the spacious chamber assigned to him charo spent much of the night in a vision with the white robed girl upon a hillside and his waking visions and those sleeping were so blended that he was scarce aware when starlight merged into mourning and he heard the bird's twitter in the branches near his window of all that household only dawn slept her heart bowed with its burden of apprehension had reached the limit of endurance and the long lashes lay still upon the white cheeks while her soul ceased from it troubling for a little while she awoke with the start of painful realization while yet the first crimson streak of mourning lay in the east its rosy light reminded her of the day and what it was to mean for her with a sound that was like both a sob and a prayer she rose quickly and slipping on the little white gown she had worn the evening before nor stopping to do more than brush out the mass of curls she hastened stoutly down the stairs and taking care to close the door behind her that her escape should not be noticed went out into the garden she would slip back quietly before the guests were a stirrer she told herself she wanted one more hour to herself in the dewy garden before life shut her in forever from freedom and her girlhood five minutes later her stepmother in dressing gown and slippers crossed the hall hastily and pushed open the girl's door she had fallen asleep toward mourning and had slept later than she had intended but she had her plans carefully laid and determined to settle the girl's part before anyone was up at that same instant charles whose heart was alive for the possibilities of the new day stepped out on the balcony in front of his window and with easy agility swung himself over the railing and dropped to the terrace beneath he was too impatient to sleep longer and felt that somehow he would be near his heart's desire if he got out into the dewy mourning world he walked slowly down the carefully tended paths into the garden stopping to notice the birds note here the glint of dew drops over the lawn the newly opened flowers in the beds of the poppies bachelor buttons fox gloves asters and sweet peas a great thorny branch that must have evaded the gardener's careful training reached out as if to catch his attention and there upon its tip was a spray of delicate buds just half blown exquisite as an angel's wings and with the warm glow of the sunrise and the sheath light curling petals were they white or pink or yellow a warm white living and thunder like a maiden's cheek he reached for the spray and cut it off feeling sure he could make his peace with the mistress of the house when he confessed his theft he stood a moment looking at the beautiful roses one almost full blown the other two just curling apart like a baby trying to weaken he drank in their fragrance in a long deep breath and then thinking his fanciful thoughts of the girl to whom he had given his heart so freely before he yet knew her he walked slowly on to the little arbor hit among the yew trees mrs. van run celie stood in the doorway of dawn's room a guest scarcely able to believe her eyes yes this girl was gone where was her instant thought perhaps she had fled and would make them more trouble a great fear clutched at the woman's heart least she had made a terrible mistake by not talking the matter over with her stepdaughter the night before and making her understand what she was to do now perhaps it would be found out by them all and by her husband in particular that she had not yet told the girl anything mrs. van run celie had a decided fear of her husband their wills had never really clashed so far but for some years she had had a feeling that if they ever did he would be terrible she shrank back with a wild heating of her heart and looked about the shadowy hall as if she expected to find the girl lurking there then her stern common sense came to the surface and she went boldly into the room and made a systematic search it did not take but a minute to make sure that dawn was not there and that wherever she was she had taken nothing with her saved the clothes she had worn the evening before it suddenly occurred to the stepmother that she ought to have gone into the room before retiring last night and made sure that her charge was there but so sure had she been that she had her dawn come in it had not occurred to her to do it besides where could the girl go she was very likely monitoring about that dull old garden she had haunted ever since her return from school with that mrs. van run celie looked out of the window just in time to catch sight of her young guest cutting the roses with keen apprehension she saw what might be about to happen and knew that instant action was the only thing that could prevent a catastrophe regardless of dressing down in slippers and of the nightcap which concealed her scant twist of hair she descended the stairs strode out the front door and down the garden path coming in sight of the young man just as he turned the corner of the you hedge into the walk that led into the green arbor charl stop suddenly for their sat dawn in her little white gown with her head bowed upon her arms on the rustic table in her wealth of dark curls covering her her young frame shook with sobbing yet so quietly did she weep that he had not heard her her ear alert with apprehension caught the sound of his foot upon the gravel and she raised her head as suddenly as he had stopped she looked at him with frightened eyes out of which the tears had fled down her white cheeks the face was full of anguish yet sweet and pitiful with all framed in its ripple of dark hair one instant she looked at him as if he were a vision from once she could not tell then that great light grew in her eyes as he had seen it on the hillside and before he knew what he was doing he had smiled then the light in her eyes grew into an answering smile and lit up her whole beautiful sorrowful face it was like a rainbow in the pale dawn of the morning that smile with the teardrops still upon her lashes jamima what on earth broken the harsh voice of her stepmother you certainly do take the craziest notions you out here in that rig at this time in the morning i guess you didn't count on company rising early too in your hair not combed either i certainly am mortified run in quick and get tidied up there is plenty to do this morning without moaning in the garden you'll excuse her to the guest she had no idea anyone else would be out here so early the smile had gone from the girl's face and instead the fright had come back at the sound of her tormentor's jangling voice she looked down at her little rumpled frock put back her hair with trembling hand and a flood of sweet shamed color came into the white face just as the sun burst up behind the hedge and touched the green with rosy morning brightness without a word in reply she turned to go but her eyes met those of charles with the pleading that went to his heart and his eyes answered unspeakable things of which neither knew the meaning though each felt the strange joy they brought as he stood back to let her pass he held out to her the spray of lovely rose buds and without a word she took them and went swiftly on into the house not a word had passed between them yet each felt that something wonderful had happened don looked neither to the right nor to left fearing least she should see someone less welcome and she fled to her room and with the sound of her stepmother's clanging voice uttering some common places about the morning and the garden floating to her in indistinct waves you will let me see her now just as soon as she is ready to come down charles asked eagerly at the door I will talk with her at once and let you know what she says answered the vexed lady evasively she was all out of breath and flurried with the anxiety least she had been too late it had been a narrow escape she did not like to begin an important day like this with being flustered besides she had become conscious of her nightcap the ugly lines of her dressing gown the flip-flop of her slippers a long wisp of hair had escaped from her cap it was tickling her nose as she ascended the stairs with as much dignity as the circumstances and her slippers allowed in full sight of the hardened lover well janbaima van ren celier I hope you're satisfied she flared out as soon as she was inside the girl's door what on earth took you out in the wet at this unearthly hour and on your wedding day too I should think you'd be ashamed I declare I shall be glad to my soul when this day's over and I can wash my hands of the responsibility of you if your father knew the freaks and fancies and the queer actions of you I'm not sure what he wouldn't do to you now look here sit down I want to talk to you but dawn had flung herself upon her bed and a paroxysm of tears and was smothering her wild sobs in the pillow she did not hear a word nor could threats nor protests nor even a thorough shaking bring her out of it until the tears had wept themselves out but finally she lay quiet and white upon the bed and even the hard-hearted woman who did not love her was stirred to a sort of pity for the abject woe that was upon her face say look here to my ma even the hated name brought forth no sign from the girl now put away all this foolishness girls always feel kind of queer at getting married and make a change in life I did myself dawn wondered him differently if her stepmother had ever been a girl she certainly had not been one when she married dawn's father you'll feel all right once you get in your own home and have things the way you want them around you dawn shuttered she would have him around her now do get up and wash her face a bride oughtn't to look as if she was just getting over the measles besides you'll be wanted pretty soon to go downstairs oh dawn involuntarily put her hand over her heart must I go down and see all those dreadful people couldn't I just stay here till till till it's time now this was exactly what mrs. van roncellier wanted her to say and moreover had been counting upon if dawn had assented to going down her stepmother would have found some excuse for keeping her upstairs but she did not wish the girl to know it so she assumed a look of mild disapproval it's very queer for you not to want to meet your mother-in-law and father-in-law and all your new sisters dawn shuttered more violently and clasped her hands quickly over her eyes as if to shut out the unpleasant vision of her new kindred oh no no please she besought looking up at her stepmother with more earnest pleading than she had ever shown her before well grimly I suppose it can be managed but you'll want to have a talk with him that's so soon to be your husband oh no no cried don wildly I do not want to see him I cannot talk with him now I could never never go through that awful ceremony afterward if I were to see him now I should run away or something I'm sure I should I don't want to see anybody until I have to he'll think it's very strange I don't see how I can explain it he's very anxious to talk to you he sent you a message last night but you were asleep so that was what the knock had meant don was glad she had not answered it oh please please she said clasping her hands and the attitude of pleading couldn't you just explain to him that I'm a very silly girl but I should like just these last few minutes to myself tell him that if he has any message please to tell it to you and to let me be by myself now tell him he doesn't know how a girl feels when she's going to stop being a girl tell him please that if he has any sympathy for me at all he won't ask to see me now it is only a little while and I want it to myself her great pleading eyes met mrs van runseller's cold gaze and her whole slender figure took on an attitude of intense twistfulness the elder woman cold and unloving as she was could not but acknowledge that the girl was very beautiful her heart might have been touched more had it not been for the gnawing thought that this child's mother had been the canker worm which had blighted the step mother's whole life she turned grimly from the girl well content that her plans were coming out as she desired yet not entirely comfortable in mind or conscious almost she determined to risk telling the girl everything yet dared not least she utterly refused to be married even at this late hour well i suppose you must have your own way you always have she said grimly don wondered when i'll do my best to explain your state of mind continued mrs van runseller though i'm sure i don't know how he'll take it it's my opinion he isn't going to have a bed of roses through life being a husband to you anyway and i suppose he may as well begin to learn with which unsympathetic remark she went heavily out of the girl's room and into her own where she speedily got herself into her wedding garments a red spot burned in either solo cheek but her marth won the line of victory so far she had carried out her schemes well end of chapter nine chapter 10 of dawn of the morning this is a livervox recording all livervox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit livervox.org recording by patty t dawn of the morning by grace livingston hill chapter 10 at breakfast time as the other guests were coming downstairs mrs van runseller beckond charles inside the dining room door and gave him his message in a low tone it will be all right mr winthrop your offer will be accepted gratefully but she asks you to be kind enough to leave her to herself until the time for the ceremony she is so much shaken by this whole thing that she is afraid to talk about it lest it will unnerve her she says she does not need to talk it over that you are very kind and if you have any message you can send it by me after breakfast thank you thank you said charles his face bright with the joy of knowing that his strange suit had been successful he was disappointed of course not to see the girl at once but it would not be long before she was his wife and he could talk with her as much as he pleased after all there was something wonderful in her trusting him enough to marry him when she had seen him but twice had she perhaps had the same feeling about him that he had about her had that been the explanation of the light in her eyes these thoughts played a happy trill in his heart as he greeted his father and mother and seated himself at the table all through the meal he was planning the message he would send to his beloved when her stepmother had left the room don had fastened the door securely against all intrusion she was determined to have to herself what little time was left on the couch under her window was spread the beautiful frock which her stepmother had prepared for her to wear it was of white satin rich and elaborate and encrusted with much beautiful lace which had been in her father's family for years and was yellow with age it was traditional that all the brides of the house had worn these rare laces don hated the frock and the lace she would much rather have worn a simple muslin of her own mother but as the marriage was not to her taste why should her dress be either what mattered it let them all have their way with her mrs. van renseler had taken much pride in preparing the beautiful garments but don knew why she knew that it was for others to look upon so that they would praise the stepmother for having been so good to the child who had been thrust upon her care under circumstances which to put it mildly were unpleasant it spoke of no loving kindness toward her and so don did not go over to the couch as many another girl might have done to examine again the filmy hand embroidered garments the silk stockings and the dainty satin slippers sewed over with seed pearls that were also an heirloom in the family they meant to her nothing but signs of her coming bondage instead she went to the little three-legged mahogany stand where she had placed in a tall pitcher her spray of rose buds she bent over to take in their delicate fragrance and the eyes of him who had given them to her seemed to be looking into her soul again as twice they had looked before it was a strange thing and she thought of it afterwards many times that she did not yet know who he was and had never stopped to question it had not even occurred to her to wonder if he were a relative or only a friend or how he came to be in her home she accepted him as she would have accepted a respite in some quiet place for her fevered spirit or the visit of an angel with a message of strength from heaven she had a vague feeling that if he had come before things might have been different she knelt beside the stand and let her hot cheek rest against a cool bud she touched her lips to another and then laid the roses on her eyelids it seemed almost like a pitying human hand upon her spirit and comforted her tired heart she felt that she was growing old very very old in these last few hours to meet the requirements of her wedding day and the touch of the buds seemed to study and help her as her mother's hand and lips might have done by and by she would have to get up and put on those fine garments lying over there in the morning sunlight and go downstairs for them all to stare at her misery but now she would forget it all for a little while and just think of her newfound friend who had looked at her with such a wonderful smile a smile in which there seemed no place for fault finding or sternness or grim solemnity the things which had seemed to make up the main part of her girlhood life meantime mr. Winthrop and his host had gone to meet the train upon which the expectant bridegroom would arrive as they neared the tavern that served as a station for the new railroad they saw an old man a woman and two little children sitting upon a subtle on the front stoop the man arose and came a step or two toward them and mr. Winthrop saw that it was William McCord he seemed embarrassed and he spoke apologetically mr. Winthrop sir i don't just know what you'll think about me being here i don't and i'm sorry i can be about it but you see i knowed herrington pretty well i knowed he might find a way to smooth it all over and pull the wool over your eyes and i passed my word i'd come here with her and stop the marriage if so be it turned out you couldn't or wouldn't feel called upon to do so i didn't count on your coming down to the train you see we've been watching every train since yesterday to make sure he didn't get away to the house without our seeing him that poor girl there ain't at scarce a mouthful since she started from home only just a drop of coffee now and then and she ain't slept neither she's just keeping alive to hunt him up and try to persuade him to come home to her and the children you see i had to let her come i couldn't say no she was up here day four yesterday when i come to see you she didn't want i should tell you because she ain't got the clothes and fixings she'd like to have you see her in but she was determined to come he paused and looked back toward the bench where the woman and the children sat mr. Winthrop's face had taken on a look of distress as he recognized William McCord he turned to his companion and explained in a low tone this is the man who brought me the evidence mr. Van Renssela regarded the man with keen eyes and decided at once that any word from a man with such a face was as good as an affidavit when william looked toward the woman her worn face blamed crimson then turned deadly white again she must have been unusually pretty not so very many years ago but sorrow toil and poverty had left their ineradicable marks upon her face and stripped her of all claim to beauty now her dress was plain and as neat as could be expected under the circumstances her roughened hair showed an attempt to put it into order and her eyes looked as though she had not slept for many nights in spite of her shrinking there was a dignity about her the bony hand that held the youngest child wore a wedding ring now much too large for the finger the oldest child a girl apparently of five had yellow hair and rather bold blue eyes that reminded mr. Winthrop startlingly of his eldest sons when he was a small boy the youngest a sallow sickly boy looked like his mother the kindly face of mr. Winthrop was overspread with trouble but he grasped the humbler man's hand warmly that's all right William he said heartily I suppose she felt she must come and there's no harm done only for our friend mr. Van Rensler's sake keep the matter as quiet as possible certainly certainly mr. Winthrop and thank you sir said the old man gratefully then he looked questioningly toward the woman and took a step in her direction Alberti this here is his father said William McCord and withdrew hastily mr. Van Rensler at once engaged him in earnest conversation giving the other man opportunity to talk with his unknown daughter in law without being observed the woman looked up abashed into the kindly eyes bent upon her yet she felt the right was on her side and she had no need to quail before anyone it has given me great sorrow madam to learn of my son's behavior he began it is particularly distressing to us because he is our firstborn and deeply loved by us he paused overcome by his emotion and the dry-eyed woman who looked as if she had long ago shed all the tears she had to shed glanced up wonderingly and said in a voice that betrayed her lack of culture yes that's one trouble with him folks always like him too well he thinks he can do anything he wants and it won't make no difference but he can't go no further with me i've just made up my mind to take even if i have to go to that rich girl and show her them children the father in him almost shuttered at the vernacular of what could herrington have been thinking when he married this woman herrington who had been brought up amid the refinements of life and been almost too sensitive to unpleasant things it was the old story of a pretty face and a boy far from home and acquaintances with no one to advise and no danger of being found out i used to like him a lot myself went on the tired boys and i might even yet if he'd behave himself and stay home and provide good for us like he used to there was a pleasant drawl to her tone like a weary child's the father's heart was touched has my son sent you money during his absences the question had to be asked but it cut the old gentleman to the heart to speak the words she turned dull eyes on him never a cent he always said he was having a hard time to get money enough to keep going business was so bad but i took notice he was dressed up good and smart every time he come home which one often she sighed as if it did not matter much i could stand at all she began again in her monotonous tone but i can't stand him getting married again it ain't right and it ain't the law and i knew if i didn't stop it nobody would so i come on that was right side the old gentleman fumbling in his pocket perfectly right here i want you to take this with you he handed her a roll of bills but she drew back a red spot coming in either sallow cheek i ain't an object of charity thank you i put a mortgage on pap shack to get the money to come out here but when i get back i've got plenty of work and i can pay it off in a year or so this is not charity said the disconcerted old gentleman this belongs to you i often lend herrington money and sometimes give him some and this was to be given to him i think it is safer with you he can work for his own after this and i will see that all i should have given him comes to your hands i have your address take it for the children i guess i have a right to give something to my own grandchildren he said with a great stretch of his pride looking down at the two forlorn little specimens of childhood hiding half frightened behind their mother's skirts the woman melted at once the first warm tinge of life springing into her eyes at the mention of her children as his relatives oh if you put it that way i'll take it of course it ain't no fault of theirs that their father don't do right by me and they do need a sight of things i can't manage to get anyhow last winner harry was sick for four months he's named after his pa harry is she pushed his hair fondly out of his eyes and moistening her fingers at her lips rubbed vigorously at a black streak on harry's nose at which he is vigorously protested but the train was near at hand even then the distant rumble of its wheels could be heard mr van renceler and william mccord drew near the latter with an attitude of deferential expectancy mr winthrop said his host would it not be well to let your son's wife meet him first the old father bowed he saw at once the wisdom of this i'd like you to stand where you could get a glimpse of his face when he first catches sight of his wife it will be a better proof that i've told you the truth than all the words i've said to you whispered william i have never doubted your word william said the father sadly with much shouting and blowing of the trumpet the morning train lumbered in and the passengers began rapidly to emerge there were loud talk and tooting of the horn and a clatter of machinery as the fireman jumped down and attended to some detail of the engine's mechanism some said he did this to show off before the gaping crowd who had not yet grown used to the fact that a machine could draw a number of loaded carriages through the country without the aid of horses the two old gentlemen had rapidly withdrawn into a secluded place by a widespreading apple tree end of chapter 10 chapter 11 of dawn of the morning this is a liverbox recording all liverbox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liverbox.org recording by patty t dawn of the morning by grace livingston hill chapter 11 one of the first to get out of the carriages was herrington winthrop a high stock held his chin well tilted in the air his gray trousers were immaculate and his coat bitted about his slender waist as trimly as any ladies he wore a high gray beaver hat and carried a shiny new portmanteau altogether he looked quite a dandy and the eyes of his waiting wife filled with a light of pride even while her heart quaked only an instant she paused to watch him he was making straight for the van rentzler carriage which stood not far away and which he supposed had been sent to bring him to the house he walked with an importance and pride that anyone might see he did not take note of anyone on the platform though he was conscious that many were watching him then suddenly the woman with the two little children clinging to her skirts stepped in his way the little girl looked up into his face with bold blue eyes and cried out it's my paw it's my paw oh doesn't he look pretty the two men standing close together under the apple tree were near enough to hear the child's cry and many bystanders turned and looked at the fine gentleman beset by the poor looking woman and children herrington winthrop turned his elegant self about with a start and found himself face to face with the worn shadow of the woman who for a time had been his plaything and whom he had tossed aside as easily and as carelessly as if she had been a doll the start the pallor the quick furtive side glance all told their tale to the watchers without other need of words then anger surged into young winthrop's face and he cried out stand back you vagabonds what have i to do with you get out of my way woman there is a carriage waiting for me but the woman stood her ground with grim determination great red waves of restrained anger marking her face and forehead as if he had struck her with his words she looked up at him she had planned it all for so many hours and now she was calm in this terrible crisis it would not do to make a public disturbance neither for his sake nor for her own did she wish to have people see or hear if it could be avoided so she had schooled herself to be self-controlled herrington she said speaking low and rapidly i'm your wife and you know it i've come to keep you from an awful sin and i will do it you can't forget me and the children and marry a rich girl it would be wicked but i've fixed it so you can't do it anyway if you'll come off quiet with me now i won't say a word to disgrace you here where i suppose folks knows you but if you try to get away from me i'll tell the whole world who i be and prove it too now if the young man had known that there were those watching who knew his story he would have been more careful but his casual glance about the platform had given him no hint of any but the villagers few of whom he knew even slightly yet his wife's face and voice were such that he thought it the part of wisdom to temporize so he dropped his angry manner and spoke in a low tone but it happened that the two witnesses under the apple tree had also by common consent moved toward him with william mccord in their rear they came and stood quite close to herrington and though he did not see them every word that he spoke was audible look here alberta what in the name of common sense are you doing up here isn't it hard enough for me to have to work and scrape and do all in my power to get my business going again so that i can come home to you and the children and keep you in the way you ought to be kept without having you come traipsing around here in such clothes as that don't you know you'd ruin my business if anybody thought you belonged to me everybody thinks i'm a successful businessman and they must think so or i'm lost and shall never come back to you here take this money a man just paid me a bill that he has been owing me for two years and i needed the money to help me in a new deal but as you are here you'll have to have it to get home with now run along back and take good care of the children till i come home a rich man then we'll live like folks and what is all this nonsense you are talking about my marrying a rich girl however could you get such an idea why i couldn't marry anybody as long as you're my wife you must have heard some foolish gossip take it quick and run along or people will be looking and talking and i shall be ruined the thin hand of the wife went out to the money he offered her but instead of taking it she struck it into the air and it fell scattering in every direction suddenly the young man became aware of the nearness of others and looking up he saw in quick succession his father Mr. van Rensseler and William McCord he knew at once that they had heard every word he had spoken to his wife even before their condemning eyes had searched his soul the presence of William McCord made it plain to him that they had known the story before his arrival and he realized instantly that he had given the final testimony against himself it was too late to turn back and deny knowledge of the woman there stood his father's former farm manager who had lived in the western town where Harrington had married his wife that McCord would ever come east again and bring tales against him had not occurred to the careless young scapegrace McCord was a quiet silent man who went about his own business and seldom if ever wrote letters young Winthrop had never given an uneasy thought to him but now he stood and looked at him in growing dismay turning Harrington met his father's passionate loving reproach his wife's bitter hopelessness and the scorn of the man he had hoped soon to call his father-in-law the voice of Mr. Winthrop broke out in bitterness oh my son my son and the father's kind face was turned away he was weeping this kind of reproach had ever angered Harrington Winthrop beyond all endurance it seethed over his frightened fredded spirit now like acid in a wound the voice of the train man called out all aboard the trumpet sounded and the wheels moved the fireman jumped on board then Harrington Winthrop grasped his portmanteau pushed aside his frightened children who were eagerly gathering up the scattered money and sprang into a vacant carriage his game was up and he knew it with a wild cry the wife caught up her little boy and dragging her little girl rushed after him a couple of men standing by pushed her up into the carriage with her husband which happened to be occupied by no one else before he had time to turn about and notice what had happened the train was going rapidly on its way and the reunited family had ample opportunity to discuss their situation Harrington Winthrop had completed the last link in the chain of evidence against himself he had fled Mr. Van Rensseler stood looking after the vanishing train with satisfaction he had watched the changing expressions on the face of the young man who had expected to become the husband of his only daughter the cruelty the craven fear the hate and the utter selfishness of the man suppose his daughter had stood where that poor wife had stood and begged of him to come home to her and care for her what an escape the daughter who had been the object of so little of his thought or care had suddenly become dear to him Mary's daughter the child of his real love he saw how utterly selfish and unfatherly had been his whole action with regard to her how almost criminal in his self-absorption there had come to a revelation from the side of that poor hollow-eyed deserted wife a revelation of what his treatment of his own wife Mary had been he was stung with a remorse such as he had not known before as William McCord watched the departing train he might have been said fairly to glow with contentment over the way things had come out not that he felt that matters would be materially improved for the poor broken-hearted woman who was making her last frantic effort to get back what she had lost but he was justified fully justified in the eyes of his benefactor he could now with the clear conscience take his way back to his claim in western Mississippi and feel that he had done his duty as for Mr. Winthrop he was filled with horror his son's face had been a revelation to him until now it had been impossible for him to conceive that Harrington had done this wrong underneath all his conviction of the truth of William McCord's story there had still been a lingering hope that in some way the beloved son would explain things satisfactorily Mr. Winthrop now realized that he had never really known his boy at all the old father gazed after the train in the dim distance saw it round a curve and vanish from his sight then turned and walked with bowed head away from them all he felt that such sorrow was too heavy for him end of chapter 11 Dawn of the Morning by Grace Livingston Hill Chapter 12 Dawn was already dressed for the wedding her stepmother surveyed her with a kind of grim pride the shimmering satin fitted the slim girlish form to perfection and the yellow lace set off the pink and cream complexion it was a beautiful frock and all who saw it would be sure to say so there had been some contention about the arrangement of the girl's hair Dawn wanted to be married with her curls down her back as she had always worn them but her stepmother was firm that could not be if her hair had been only long enough to reach to her shoulders it would not have seemed so absurd for many young women wore their short ringlets all about the neck but Dawn's hair fell far below her waist in rich abundant curls it was out of the question for her to be married looking so like a child the argument had waxed hot and at one point Dawn had declared that she would not be married at all unless she could wear her hair as she had always worn it finally her stepmother threatened to go for the girl's father to settle the dispute Dawn's face was white and she turned away to hide her emotion then in a strange hard voice she said I will put it up if it must be after all what did that or anything else matter certainly not enough to invoke her father's wrath upon her at this most trying moment of her life she drew the mass of beautiful curls up on her head fastening them with a large tortoise shell comb which had been her mother's and was treasured by the young girl the ends of the curls fell in a little shower over the back of the comb making a lovely effect the stepmother thought it far too careless and mussy looking and frowned at the sweet artistic head but Dawn gave it a pat here and there and would have no more to say about it with her own hands she arranged the filmy veil she would not have her stepmother's assistance mrs. van rentzler stood by watching the quick assured way in which the young bride draped the delicate fabric the elder woman was half jealous of the girl's deptness put on your gloves and you'll do very nicely though I must say I'd rather see your hair smooth for once but the veil hides the frowsiness now is there anything you'd like to know about what you've got to do Dawn looked at her stepmother in horror I haven't got to do anything have I there was genuine distress in her voice she had been so absorbed in the great thought of the result of this act that the ceremony itself about which so many girls worry had not entered into her mind in the least well said mrs. van rentzler there was satisfaction in her voice for Dawn was unconsciously making it easier for her than she had dared to hope there isn't much of course nothing but to keep your eyes down and walk in and say yes it's all very simple the main thing is never to look up it is counted very bad manners to look up a bride who raises her eyes during the ceremony or before is called very bold and and immodest the stepmother's voice sounded queer to herself and she picked at an invisible thread on her sleeve this was the first out and out bald lie she had ever told in her life though she had made many a misleading statement but that of course to a woman with a conscience was a very different thing this woman thought she had a conscience and she was excusing her present action on the ground of necessity and the circumstances she's getting a far better husband every way anyhow and it isn't as if she was much attached to the other man one can see she was afraid of him i'm really doing her a service and she'll thank me when she finds it out this was what she told her conscience now and went on with her advice to dawn you want to walk downstairs very slowly with your eyes on the hem of your frock you mustn't look up for anything i'm sure i don't know what i should want to look up for said dawn coldly i'd much rather look down i'm glad it's quite polite to do so that's right commended her stepmother with unusual alacrity and it won't do a bit of harm to keep it up some afterward too at least till you get out to the dining room and then you can look into your plate a good deal people will only think you are shy and modest and say nice things about you for it i don't care what people think observe the girl is that all oh there will be things he'll ask you the minister you know the regular service he'll say a lot of things and then ask you do you thus promise and then you say yes or you can just nod your head but suppose i don't like to promise those things won't he marry me the girl asked the question sharply as if she saw a possibility of escape somewhere but the older woman was so relieved that her task had been performed that she took little notice of the question oh yes she answered carelessly thinking the girl was anxious about saying her part at the right time if you don't get it in he'll go right on anyway and it'll soon be over you know dr parker is very deaf and he wouldn't know whether you said yes or no now if there isn't anything else i'll go down for i hear more carriages coming and i'll be needed you're sure you don't want to see him before the ceremony no said dawn turning away from her with a quick gasp of her breath oh if she need never see him how happy she would be well then i'll go down you be already when i call you to come now mind you don't once raise your eyes until the ceremony is over and you are out in the dining room above all things don't look up at your husband even then nobody should see you look at each other it makes them think you're foolish and silly i shall certainly not look at him said don with white lips then the stepmother went out of the room don fastened the door and went quickly over to the stand where the roses had been unnoticed by mrs. van rinsler had she seen them it would have been like her to throw them out of the window lest the water should upset on the white satin frock the girl bent over and breathed in their fragrance again and then carefully drying the stem on a towel she slipped them up under her veil and fastened them upon her breast with a little pearl pin that had belonged to her mother she went to her glass and viewed the effect through her veil with a white wand smile at the buds nestling among the beautiful lace she would have one thing as she wanted it anyway and if she must be married she would wear the flowers that had been given to her with a smile by somebody that understood this was the last time she would have the right to wear another man's flowers after today she would belong to her husband but until she did she would wear the only flowers that had ever meant anything to her then she closed her eyes and tried to get her spirit calmed but she felt like one of those old queens in a tower that they used to study about at school who was soon to go out and have her head cut off with the guillotine a few minutes later mr. Winthrop again ascended the stairs to his wife's room they want you to come down Janet he said gently Martha and the girls have come and they are all waiting for you i shall not come down until i've had a talk with my son Harrington said that lady decidedly are you not coming down to the ceremony ask her husband it went very hard with him to deceive the wife of his youth but there seemed no other way to deal with her in the present situation the ceremony she arose with alacrity what do you mean has Harrington come and has he explained everything it has turned out just as i supposed it would she stopped in front of the glass and smoothed her hair she had to raid herself in her best immediately after breakfast i should think it was time an apology was due from you mr. Winthrop madam Winthrop stood hotly in the middle of the room aware that her small figure was elegant and feeling that she had entire command of the situation there was a becoming triumph in the brightness of her eyes and the set of her cameo lips the wedding is to be at once set her husband gravely motioning her to proceed him what was Harrington's explanation she whispered eager as any girl now that she thought she had come off triumphant there is no time to talk about it now set her husband again motioning her down the stairs she had a mind to make another stand before his grave authority but in reality she was too much relieved from the awful strain she had been under during the past 24 hours for her to care to hold out against him longer she went quietly down the stairs and took the place mrs. van Rensseler most ungraciously assigned her there was in that lady's eye something unqueled which gave the bridegroom's mother some uneasiness and took her mind from the ceremony so that she failed to notice as the little procession passed by her almost immediately that Harrington was not a part of it and that her youngest son occupied the place of the bridegroom it was not until the clear voice rang out in the words I do that something in the boyish accents made her look up and stretch her neck to see her son how strange that Harrington's voice should sound so exactly like Charles's but someone was standing so that the bridegroom's face could not be seen by her the little bride with downcast eyes and palpitating heart stood demurely by his side her cold hands trembling within the gloves her stepmother had brought from new york for the occasion one lay upon a fine black coat sleeve that had put itself within reaching distance she had not put the glove there herself a hand a strong warm hand had taken it and put it there a hand that against her will had sent a strange thrill through her and left her faint and frightened that had been at the foot of the stairs and she had walked with it thus down the room she had not looked up to see to whom that sleeve belonged she believed she knew and it sent no pleasant thought to her heart yet she had to acknowledge that the arm had steadied her and kept her from stumbling and had guided her safely into the vacant spot in front of the minister Dawn did not look beyond the hem of her garments but kept her long lashes drooping on her crimson cheeks a lovely but frightened bride she felt keenly the moment the service began and knew that she was surrendering forever her liberty and girlhood goodbye to everything that she had ever counted happy in this life no house no pretty dishes no handsome furniture could ever make up for that now and her heart cried out in anguish that she had not vetoed the idea when it was first proposed to her before it had gone so far that retraction was dishonorable when the vows were read and she heard their terrible binding import she longed to cry out her horror in a great echoing no that should leave no doubt in any mind and would even penetrate to the good minister's deaf ears but her tongue was tied by fear of her father and his friends and she dared not lift her voice yet she would not speak to make promises her heart could not echo and so she stood silent with no nod of her head no breath of a yes the minister after waiting an instant for the desired ascent passed monotonously and solemnly on to the end and pronounced those two who knew each of the other as little almost as it was possible for two human beings to know man and wife during the prayer that followed dawn had hard work to keep back the tears that were struggling to creep out and cool her flushed cheeks but the breath of the roses at her breast seemed to steal up and comfort her and once just before the end a strong hand warm and gentle was placed over her gloved one for just an instant with a pressure that seemed to promise help yet because she thought it was an unloved hand it only made her heart beat the more wildly and she was glad when the prayer was ended and the hand was taken away they came crowding about her after it was over in the order of their rank stiffly at first and with great formality the bride still kept her eyes drooped barely glancing up at those who took her hand or kissed her and never once lifting her eyes to the man who stood by her side it was the first and only mandate of her stepmothers that she obeyed to the letter and to the end mrs. van Rensler gave her a cold kiss and whispered that she was doing very well and her father gave her the second kiss she could remember from him since he had sent her own mother away and said in a low tone poor child i hope you will be happy now she puzzled over that sentence long why had he called her poor child and yet seemed so sure by his tone that she had attained a height upon which happiness was assured it touched her more than anything else that he had ever said to her mr. winthrop bowed low over dawn's hand and told her he was glad to have another dear daughter and madam winthrop coming up from the side away from the bridegroom graciously kissed her and called her a sweet child then she turned to meet her son and stopped aghast saying charles where is herrington now dawn might have heard the disturbance and been much enlightened and all mrs. van Rensler's buying plans might have been exposed if it had not been that madeline and cordelia stepped up to their new sister-in-law close behind their mother while betty had rushed in and smothered her with kisses whispering oh you darling sister how i am going to enjoy you the three girls stood gushing and fluttering over the young bride so that she did not hear what went on for as it happened charles bent low over his mother so that the stream of relatives should not hear and said in a quiet voice mother dear congratulate me instead of herrington it is i who have been married herrington has just gone away on the train with his wife and children don't feel sorry little mother you would not let us tell you be careful mother people are looking watching you mother but madam winthrop said not a word instead her pretty cameo face went white as death and she slipped quietly down at the feet of her husband and son in a blessed unconsciousness for the sake of herself and all concerned it was the best thing she could have done what might have happened had she kept her senses it is not pleasant to contemplate for she was a person of strong will and a fiery temper although cultured and beloved beyond most women of her day they said that the room was close and she had fainted they made way for her and brought fans and ice water but her husband and her son quietly carried her from the room and when betty suddenly realized that something was going on and turned around they told her that her mother had fainted someone an angular old maid with a sarcastic twirl to her mouth and an unpleasant way of always saying the wrong thing at the right time told don she hoped it wasn't a bad omen that her husband had had to leave her side just when the ceremony was over this was the first intimation that the young bride had had that her husband was gone she cast a sideways glance and discovered that there were ladies all around her she raised her eyes again just a little higher and swept a wider circle and finally cast a guarded glance about the entire room but could not see the dreaded face then she drew a sigh of relief at this small respite she heard someone say that he had gone to help his father take his mother upstairs don had a wild impulse to fly away where he could not find her when he returned but knew she could not she would gladly have gone upstairs to wait on the sick mother if only he were not there also people kept coming around to congratulate her and saying how sad it was that madam winthrop strength had given way at just that moment betty stayed close by and don dared to look at the other girl's sweet dimpled face all pink and white with heavenly blue eyes and golden hair they reminded the bride of him whom she had seen in the garden that morning it was a pleasant thought and don continued to watch betty when she was sure her stepmother was not looking at her by and by mrs. van Rensler passed behind her and whispered they are coming downstairs now mrs. winthrop is better we will go out to the dining room and you must cut the wedding cake you know you are doing very well only remember what i said not to look around too much a shy bride is the very best kind of bride a cold trembling came over the young wife he was coming back and a chill seemed to have crept into the sunny day she hastily dropped her eyes with the strange determination not to look upon her husband until absolutely compelled to do so there seemed somehow a fascination to her in keeping this up as long as possible when charles came down and hastened to her side she was talking earnestly with his aunt martha who was telling a pretty little incident of charles's babyhood dawn had not the faintest conception of who charles was but she nodded and smiled and aunt martha thought her a sweet child and took her immediately into her gentle heart she was somewhat aghast at the manner in which events had marched into the family history that day but she thought it not polite to mention it to dawn a distant relative of mr. van rensler came up just then and murmured in a disagreeable whisper your husband is a sight younger than i expected jemima i had been led to expect he was quite a settled man a good ten or fifteen years older than you but he's real handsome you mustn't get proud child dawn started back as if she had been stung and became aware at once of a black-coated figure standing close by her side she was grateful to the people who kept talking to her and to him so that there would be no chance of his speaking to her or of her having to answer him now she felt it would be more than she could do and look at him now she would not not till she absolutely must it would unnerve her to look him in the face and know that she was his wife and that he had a right over her from hence forth then all at once she heard his voice and it was not herrington's at all a quick glance assured her it was her friend of the roses perhaps then herrington was still upstairs with his mother she drew a breath of relief a few mouthfuls of the wedding breakfast she managed to swallow and she pushed a knife through the great white coated brute cake black with spice and all things good which had been made when mrs van rentzler first heard of the possibility of this marriage and kept in ripening ever since don stepmother was a fine housekeeper and knew how to be ready for emergencies it was over at last and mrs van rentzler came to say that it was time for her to go upstairs and change her frock for the journey don had never before followed her stepmother with so much willingness as now her feet fairly kissed the oaken stairs as she mounted but she had gone up only three steps when someone came quickly up and standing by the stairs touched her on the shoulder saying in a voice that sent a thrill of joy through her were to go in the train did you know it forgetting her vows and her stepmother's warnings she looked down and saw that it was the young man of the garden again her face lit with a beautiful smile and some people down in the hall who were watching them said one to another see how much they love each other the dear children and turned away with a regretful smile and a sigh toward their own lost youth oh breathed don i did not know it but she paused i'm so glad you are going to in saying this she had no thought of disloyalty to the man she thought she had married it was merely the involuntary expression of her frightened heart that suddenly saw a rift in the dark cloud oh so am i he smiled and i'm glad you wore my roses next to your heart put them on again when you come down won't you i will she promised and let her eyes dwell on him for an instant then fled up the stairs as her stepmother called in a voice intended to be a whisper jamaima do for pity's sake hurry you will be late for the train and then there will be a great to-do mrs. van rinsler was in hot water lest the girl should learn the true state of affairs before she got away from the house it had given the stepmother no small fright to see charles talking with the girl over the railing she looked at don keenley but there actually was some look of interest in the girl's eyes mrs. van rinsler drew a sigh of relief as she hurried about to help the young wife with dressing end of chapter 12 chapter 13 of dawn of the morning this is a libervox recording all libervox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libervox.org dawn of the morning by grace livingston hill chapter 13 there were no pleasant memories about the room don occupied for her to look about upon for the last time and bid goodbye long ago mrs. van rinsler had cleared away every trace of her predecessor by remodeling all the rooms and taking for her own the large sunny one which had been occupied by the child if there had been memories left after the overhauling they would have been made hateful by the new occupant don had been away from home for so long that during this brief stay she had been given a guest room and now she turned from it without a glance if anything to get away from the place that had witnessed her deepest grief she would have liked to run down into the old garden and get one more glimpse of her woods the ravine the old mill and the moss covered dam with the babbling brick in the distance but that of course would be thought unpardonable so she walked quietly downstairs turning over in her mind the comfort it was that during the journey she was not to be entirely alone with the man she had married she did not know where she was going she had not cared to inquire which of several houses he had told her about had finally been purchased she was going with him as any thoughtless child might have done if only the stepmother had let what conscience she had guide her and had told the girl the truth many things might have been different if allowed to hear the earnest profession of love from Charles Winthrop slips Don would undoubtedly have gone to him gladly out of the shadow of horror that seemed about to engulf her a sweet memory of her wedding mourning would have been saved to her and she would have been spared much pain the stepmother might have kept her contented conscience to to the end of her days and not been tormented with the thought that she had veered from the righteous path but Don did not know and went down the stairs with a heavy heart looking for only a brief alleviation of her trouble she determined that she would not look at her husband if possible until this stranger was gone the little bustle of departure was over at last they put her into the carriage and still Harrington Winthrop had not appeared she began to feel her heart beating wildly at the thought that he would soon be coming to sit beside her someone standing on the piazza asked where mr. Winthrop had gone and someone else said that his mother had sent for him that she was conscious again and had wished to see him before he left Don thought they were speaking of Harrington she wished his mother would keep him a long time and then it occurred to her that the train would go and the young man with it probably and she would be left after all to take the journey alone with her husband of course it would have to be alone with him sooner or later for the rest of her life but oh how she dreaded it then to her inexpressible relief Charles came rushing down the stairs and someone called out a question about his father was not mr. Winthrop going to be able to get away just to the station Don again thought they were speaking of Harrington yes said Charles he will be down in a moment he told me to drive on and he would come in our carriage which is here you know with that he jumped into the seat beside Don the servant fastened the carriage door and the horses started on their way down the curving carriage drive and out through the great gate with its two white balls on the tops of the white pillars Don could scarcely believe it true that she was going to the station without Harrington his mother must be very ill indeed poor lady was it wrong to be glad she wondered because it gave her another reprieve brief though it might be she had tucked the spray of roses into the bosom of her traveling frock a dark green silk platted with bars of black and a little black silk mantilla which made her feel quite grown up and which mrs. van Rensselaer had been assured by the new york merchants was the very latest thing for brides a great wide poke bonnet of white chip trimmed with dark green ribbons and a modest plume to match framed her sweet face and helped to hide its shyness as she sat trembling happy at her escape her hands and pretty gray kid gloves lay meekly folded in her lap nothing about her demure manner told of the tumble to the motions in her heart beside her sat a friend she knew that by the light in his eyes before her was a brief ride to the end where the train stopped it would last but a few minutes and during that time she would like to say something to have him say something anything just to feel the pleasant comradeship which she had seen in his eyes that she might remember him always her one friend but her tongue was tied and her eyes could not raise themselves to look upon his face any more than if he had been the dreaded husband charles was kept busy for a minute or two bowing to the guests who had lined themselves up along the driveway to see the couple depart don glanced shyly at them from her lowered lids and smiled now and then as she recognized a relative or the kindly face of an old servant then the carriage passed out into the street while her companion sat back very close to her as if she needed him and reaching over took one of her little cold hands in his strong warm one it brought comfort and a thrill of joy don did not stop to question if he had a right or if she were doing wrong to allow such familiarity in a stranger with her a married woman and belonging to another man such questions had not been brought up for her consideration though she had a few fixed little principles of her own sweet and fine and natural but now she thought only of her great need and how his strong hand met it she longed to turn and fling her tired head upon his big high shoulder and weep out her sorrow she did not do so of course but sat quietly with her hand unfolded in his for a moment and dared to lift her sweet eyes to his then without any warning the tears which had been repressed so long she had forgotten any danger from them sprang into her eyes he thought her heart was tender with memories of the home she was leaving and perhaps he thought jealously she was sighing for her false fiancée but with a lover's true impulse and in spite of the village street through which they were passing although it happily chanced that this was a quiet park he bent and kissed her an old lady out among her flowers in the front yard saw them and nodded to herself bless their dear hearts may they always be so happy and fresh to weigh a tear as she thought of a grave of Funahill side and a day far gone when her own hopes were put beneath the ground it was a very short drive almost immediately after they had passed the old lady's house they turned a corner which brought them into the liveliest part of the town where people were stretching their necks to watch them and all was stir and bustle only a few rods away stood the end with the railroad tracks gleaming in the distance people were already gathering to watch for the incoming train and some few to go on a journey though there were not so many travelers in those days with his kiss upon her lips and a tumult of strange joy in her heart dawn was handed from the carriage to the platform then her heart stood still with fear again as she remembered who was to come in the other carriage soon after them a part of the company had started on foot for the station among them Betty Winthrop and they now came trooping up around the bride and groom with laughing talk of slippers and rice which they had reserved for the novelty of throwing at a train instead of a carriage dawn was surrounded and taken possession of she had no further opportunity to wonder or to think or to fear but over her there hovered a sense of calamity for that kiss had come as consciousness that she was not being loyal to her own ideals of what a wife should be and it troubled her more than had all her fears nevertheless it had been sweet and she kept trying to cast it aside with the thought that it was over forever now and she would have no further cause to err in this way again perhaps the kiss was sent to comfort her on the dreary way she had yet to go the other carriage drove up at last it had been a long time coming for madam Winthrop had returned to consciousness only to fall from one fit of weeping into another and then to blame the unfortunate girl whom she called that little scheming hussy declaring that she wasn't satisfied with leading a stray man of integrity like Harrington but when she found it was impossible to make him swear from his duty she had worked upon Charles's tender heart and made him marry her out of pity she was scarcely to blame poor lady for her nurse had been on a continual strain for many hours and when one took into account her extraordinary love for the son who had left her one but a boy and whose faults she had entirely overlooked it was not strange but it was hard on her son Charles and on her devoted husband whose love for her was deep yet whose desire to make everybody else happy and comfortable was also great it had been a trial to him indeed that she should behave in this unseemly way in the house of his friend he had found it useless to talk with her or to try to pacify her so at last he left her with his sister until she should grow calm and hastened in the carriage to see the bridal couple off it had been arranged that Charles should bring his young wife home for the present until further arrangements for their new life could be made Don's heart bounded with excitement when she saw that no one was sitting in the carriage but the elder Mr. Winthrop she did not know whether to be glad or sorry if he did not come in time for the train perhaps her new friend would go on without them and yet after what had happened perhaps it was right that he should but her heart sank at the thought and involuntarily she lifted her eyes to drink in the strong handsome outlines of his face Charles Winthrop turned instantly and met the gaze of his wife with a look of such deep love reverence and tender care that it sent the color rushing to her cheeks and the blood bounding through her heart it seemed almost as if she were again on the point of tears so many emotions have followed one another through her weary soul that morning but just then there came a distant rumble and they said the train was coming everybody rushed at dawn at once and kissed her Betty fairly smothered her saying oh you dear dear dear I shall have you tonight at home then they hurried her to a seat in the railway carriage and Charles sat down beside her nobody seemed to think it strange that he had done so and nobody said it was too bad her husband was detained they did not even seem to be looking for him and wondering why he was not there Don was bewildered and fairly held her breath wondering if it could be possible that she was to start off on her wedding journey without the bride groom though she had not been to many weddings she knew enough to feel that her situation was a strange one the only explanation she could think of was that his mother had been so ill that he had to remain with her for a time and would come later and explain but even then it made her heart sink to think that he should have cared so little for her embarrassment that he had sent her no word it augured ill for the future nevertheless she was conscious of the great relief that he had not come and a great comfort in the presence of this other man there was a good deal of fun and confusion when at last the train started with a showering of rice and old slippers and a stretching of necks from the other carriages to see what it was all about but they were soon underway and Don sat back with intense delight to enjoy the new sensation of a railway ride without the expected attendant inconvenience of an unloaded husband it was perhaps not ideal but she could not help it and when one's heart has been breaking slowly for weeks and rapidly for the past few hours it is but nature to let it throb on naturally for a few minutes if it will how could she help being happy the sky was blue blue the bits of water they glimpsed far away the winding ribbon of the river in the distance were blue also the trees seemed fairly to spread themselves in the summer sunshine and the whole world looked washed anew for happiness basking in the sunlight of heaven the birds that flew away at sound of strange creature that went rumbling through the country the sleepy cows that grazed diligently upon the hillside the dull sheet that raised unwondering eyes and bleeding voice at the moving monster all seemed new creations to the girl she cried out with delight at everything and charles entered into her joy it was not charles's first ride upon a train therefore when she asked some questions about their wonderful mode of travel he fell to explaining it all carefully to her with a learned manner that fascinated her and before she knew it she was watching his face and his eyes and her heart was glowing with the thought of him then he suddenly caught her hand that lay in her lap and taking its forefinger between his own thumb and finger he held her hand enclosed in his he made it point to a tiny white house nestled upon a hillside far away with a glimpse of water in the distance and a shelter of feathery trees all about there see there he cried do you see that house up there how would you like it if you and i lived there instantly that little house seemed to dawn a very heaven of peace to which she would gladly fly from the grander house that she thought awaited her at the end of her journey she caught her breath and pressed her free hand hard upon her frightened happy heart and cried oh oh so wistfully that he stooped and kissed her once and then again and whispered darling my darling they were alone in their carriage you remember and as the train was not then going around a curb but was sleepily jogging through a lovely wooded place no one in any of the other carriages could see dawn felt the thrill of his touch go through her again and then her conscience roused and she drew herself away quite shyly and not at all as if she were angry her cheeks were crimson under her drooping lashes her lover watched her adoringly he was shy himself and felt that maybe he had gone too far in a public place like a railway carriage but she had been so charming and was she not his then her trembling lips brought out a question which shot a pang of jealous pain through his heart won't you tell me please where is and where is she hesitated painfully wishing he could understand and finish the sentence for her but he only looked down anxiously trying to understand what she wanted won't you tell me where mr. Winthrop is he understood at once that she did not mean his father but his scoundrel brother his face shadowed with a frown was she then thinking only of him who had tried to cover her with shame and disgrace and would it always be so that she would heart away from his love to that which had gone before he sighed impatiently but tried to answer her gently a strange pity in his voice i thought they had told you it was strange they did not he took the train at once he found it was necessary you understand oh there was immense relief in dawn's exclamation and the color came back to her cheeks which had grown pale with apprehension when she asked the question then he will not come on this train at all she asked and a light broke into her eyes you poor child he said he gently were you afraid of that he laid his hand over hers comfortingly i have been so tired and so frightened murmur dawn and now she had to let the tears come rolling down her cheeks so she tried hard enough to keep them back but somehow she felt he would understand it all and she lay back and let him wipe them away with his large cool handkerchief that smelled of rose leaves and between the tears he laid a kiss now and then that seemed like healing ointment to her sore heart so she no more tried to contend with her conscience as to what was right for married women to do in such circumstances she only knew she had found someone who acted toward her as she remembered her dear mother doing the kisses seemed such as an angel's might be if an angel stooped to kiss so she ceased trying to understand and just took the comfort of it perhaps it had been sent to her to help her in her time of need remember she was very young and had been facing a great terror they presently trundled out of the woods into a little village and the comforting had to cease dawn sat up with rosy cheeks and bright eyes the tears all gone and looked about her with interest they talked in low tones of the people they saw come and go on the platform and laughed at a couple of geese who were squawking and gabbling at the train for coming so close to their nice mud puddle by the track putting in a natural protest against the march of civilization but an old lady with many band boxes and a carpet bag was put into their coach just before the train started on its way again and there could be no more quiet confidences don had thought she would presently ask a few more questions about her husband and why he had found it necessary to take another train most of all she wanted to know when and where she was to meet him but now there was no more opportunity to ask questions at albany they waited for the stage coach and walked about exploring the city more absorbed in their own pleasant converse than in sightseeing however do you know they have never told me your name i heard it first in the ceremony this morning said charles with a smile it is strange isn't it but we have had so little time and before that i was away and they always wrote of you as miss venrin slayer i never asked your name because i like to think of you as i saw you first all spring blossoms like some spirit of the air and i thought a name might destroy the vision the pink came softly into the girl's cheek at his earnest words and it filled her heart with a glow of pleasure like to nothing she had ever felt before they wouldn't have told you my real name if you had asked she said showing her dimples and a smile answering to his i was christened jemima but my mother my own dear mother who died a good many years ago told me my name was don and she always called me that she wouldn't consent to my being named jemima until she found out that the meaning of it was don of the morning and she always called me that i always made everybody at school call me so too they did not know the other name at school i loved the name because my mother loved it and said it meant something sweet and dear to her she looked up and the eyes she met were full of sweet understanding don what a beautiful name how glad i am it is that it just fits you as i saw you first you might have been personifying don you shall be the dawn of my morning always they were inside of the stage coach now and as they saw that the driver was preparing to start they had to hurry to it so they had no further opportunity to talk but each had been given a vision into the heart of the other don was still ignorant of where she was going and as she sat in the coach and saw others climbing in to fill the seats she suddenly realized that there would be no more opportunity now for the questions she should have asked while they were walking but she had hesitated to spoil their pleasant walk and had dismissed her fears and troubles entering into the spirit that charles had seemed to manifest as he sat close beside her through the long miles his arm rested against hers and now and then came a gentle pressure as if he would let her know he was there then the remembrance of his lips upon hers swelled over her and in mingling of remorse and joy and her heart cried out to itself oh i love him i love him what shall i do if i only were not married perhaps i might have him for a friend i never had a real friend but now i suppose i can never see him anymore by and by when they stopped to change horses charles found seats for them on the top of the coach with the driver it was lovely up there with a wide view of the beautiful country through which they were riding and no one to bother them for the old coach driver was not of a garrulous disposition as most of those worthy's were and they had their talk to themselves still he was there and don dared ventured no more confidential questions the day drew to a close and then came to the last change of horses before reaching the home of the winthropes end of chapter 13