At last
the wind left the writhing trees in peace, and carried the deeply
shadowing cloud away beyond the hills. The sun broke forth, and
nature began some magic work. Calling the mist fairies to her aid,
she gathered from every ravine and clove delicate airy clouds, which
formed a large and rapidly increasing mass of vapor. Soon the plain
below--the wide Hudson valley--was entirely shut out, as though a
great white curtain had dropped from the sky to the mountain's base.
Just then the setting sun, which had been temporarily obscured, shone
forth in glorious brightness, casting on the beautiful cloud-curtain
the dark, clearly defined shadow of the mountain-top, with its crown
of buildings, even the towers and turrets showing with startling
distinctness. It was like a mammoth, well-cut cameo, or a gigantic
magic lantern effect, with the sun as a calcium light.
"The spectacle lasted only a few moments. Then the cloudy curtain
parted, and the valley of the Hudson was seen again, spanned by a
rainbow."
The days lengthened into weeks, Graydon coming every Friday afternoon,
and wondering slightly at the demurely radiant face that greeted
him. "Truly," he thought, "in the words of the old hymn she 'puts a
cheerful courage on.
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