Soon approaching footsteps drew her attention. And she had only time
to rise and put back her damp, disheveled hair from her tear-stained
face before the door opened and Dorcas Knight appeared and said:
"Here is this young woman come again."
"I declare, Miss Day," said Cap, laughing, "you have the most
accomplished, polite and agreeable servants here that I ever met
with! Think with what a courteous welcome this woman received me--'
Here you are again!' she said. 'You'll come once too often for your
own good, and that I tell you.' I answered that every time I came it
appeared to be once too often for her liking. She rejoined, 'The
colonel has come home, and he don't like company, so I advise you to
make your call a short one.' I assured her that I should measure the
length of my visit by the breadth of my will--But good angels,
Clara! what is the matter? You look worse than death!" exclaimed
Capitola, noticing for the first time the pale, wild, despairing
face of her companion.
Clara clasped her hands as if in prayer and raised her eyes with an
appealing gaze into Capitola's face.
"Tell me, dear Clara, what is the matter? How can I help you? What
shall I do for you?" said our heroine.
Before trusting herself to reply, Clara gazed wistfully into
Capitola's eyes, as though she would have read her soul.
Cap did not blanch nor for an instant avert her own honest, gray
orbs; she let Clara gaze straight down through those clear windows
of the soul into the very soul itself, where she found only truth,
honesty and courage.
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