When Dirk and his sister worked their way through the dense crowds to
the open air they discovered that it was raining heavily. For almost the
first time in her life the fact struck terror to Mart Colson's soul!
Ordinarily no duck could have been more indifferent to a rain storm than
herself. On this evening she gave vent to her dismay in short,
expressive words:
"Sallie's bonnet!" "And cape!" This last, after a moment's thought. "And
shoes!" she added, as the magnitude of her troubles grew upon her.
Drawn up close to the sidewalk stood a carriage and a pair of horses
that Dirk could not help giving admiring attention to, despite the rain.
A fine horse always held his attention. No thought of the occupants of
the carriage came to him, not even after a head leaned forward and a
hand beckoned; of course it was beckoning to somebody else. Then a clear
voice spoke:--
"Mr. Colson!"
He started quickly forward; there was but one person who ever said "Mr.
Colson," and besides, that voice belonged only to one.
"I want your sister to go home with me. It is raining so hard that she
ought not to walk, and I should like very much to have her stay with me
to-night. Won't you ask her to, please?"
If Mrs.
Pages:
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283