It was a day-coach. She had all the time in the world to
think things out. Her grandparents were back in the city house, she
knew. They would be glad to see her in their different ways, she
knew that, too. She could drop into her niche noiselessly, with
scarcely a question from Grandfather, and all the lovingness in the
world from Grandmother, except if Grandfather needed attention. The
old gowns were still in her closet.... _When she got home it would
be reception day!_
As this recollection forced itself on her she felt her heart sink
lower than it had been before. All the tormenting memories in the
world--and Grandfather would make her dress and be there....
She clasped her hands involuntarily, and felt on the left one the
pressure of the wishing ring. She had meant to take it off and leave
it with Phyllis, and she had forgotten to.
"There isn't much left to wish," she thought. She clasped her hands
tighter over it. "Nothing much--but to get to sleep for a little
while, and dream it isn't so. I--I suppose I can do that without a
wish."
She tried very hard, and she had only had about three hours of sleep
that night, not to speak of a most exciting evening before it. She
really thought in her heart that she couldn't sleep, but she laid
her head back against the hot red velvet of the seat, and actually
did sleep dangerously near the time to change cars. She got a
chair-car after that, but, having got into the way of it, drowsed
again.
Pages:
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261