"I'm not a bit
ashamed to say that it put salt water in my old eyes."
"I think," said Peter, "it was the deaths of the poor little children,
more than anything I said, that made people feel it."
The next morning's mail brought Peter a second note, in the same
handwriting as that of the day before. It read:
"Miss De Voe has received Mr. Stirling's message and will be
pleased to see him in regard to the check, at half after eleven
to-day (Wednesday) if he will call upon her.
"Miss De Voe regrets the necessity of giving Mr. Stirling such
brief notice, but she leaves New York on Thursday."
As Peter walked up town that morning, he was a little surprised that he
was so cool over his intended call. In a few minutes he would be in the
presence of a lady, the firmness of whose handwriting indicated that she
was not yet decrepit. Three years ago such a prospect would have been
replete with terror to him. Down to that--that week at the Pierce's, he
had never gone to a place where he expected to "encounter" (for that was
the word he formerly used) women without dread.
Pages:
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171