"Dear Bess, what troubles you? Let me share your sorrow and try to
lighten it," he cried with anxious tenderness, sitting beside her on
the little couch where Jamie fell asleep.
In the frank face smiling on her, the girl's innocent eyes read
nothing but the friendly interest of a brother, and remembering his
care and kindness, she forgot her womanly timidity in her great
longing for sympathy, and freely told him all.
Told him of the lover she left years ago to cling to Jamie, and how
this lover went across the sea hoping to increase his little fortune
that the helpless brother might be sheltered for love of her. How
misfortune followed him, and when she looked to welcome back a
prosperous man, there came a letter saying that all was lost and he
must begin the world anew and win a home to offer her before he
claimed the heart so faithful to him all these years.
"He writes so tenderly and bears his disappointment bravely for my
sake; but it is very hard to see our happiness deferred again when
such a little sum would give us to each other."
As she ceased, Bess looked for comfort into the countenance of her
companion, never seeing through her tears how pale it was with
sudden grief, how stern with repressed emotion. She only saw the
friend whom Jamie loved and that tie drew her toward him as to an
elder brother to whom she turned for help, unconscious then how
great his own need was.
"I never knew of this before, Bess; you kept your secret well" he
said, trying to seem unchanged.
Pages:
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106