She was only
eighteen, eighteen to-day, but during the last two years she had rapidly
developed into womanhood. The master told Miss Prudence this morning that
she was trustworthy and guileless, and as sweet and bright as she was
good; still, he believed, as of old, that she did not quite know how to
take her own part; but, as a woman, with a man to fight for her, what
need had she of fighting? He would not have been at all surprised had he
known that she had chosen, that morning, a motto, not only for her new
year, but, as she told Morris, for her lifetime: "The Lord shall fight
for you, and ye shall hold your peace." And he had said: "May I fight for
you, too, Marjorie?" But she had only laughed and answered: "We don't
live in the time of the Crusades."
Although it was Linnet's wedding day Marjorie, the bridesmaid, was
attired in a gingham, a pretty pink and white French gingham; but there
were white roses at her throat and one nestled in her hair. The roses
were the gift of the groomsman, Hollis, and she had fastened them in
under the protest of Morris' eyes. Will and Linnet had both desired
Hollis to "stand up" with Marjorie; the bridesmaid had been very shy
about it, at first; Hollis was almost a stranger, she had seen him but
once since she was fourteen, and their letters were becoming more and
more distant. He was not as shy as Marjorie, but he was not easy and at
home with her, and never once dared to address the maiden who had so
suddenly sprung into a lovely woman with the old names, Mousie, or
Goosie.
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