"Oh, Charlotte," Rose cried out, suddenly, "I don't believe but what
you'll have him, after all!" Rose's eyes were sharp upon Charlotte's
face. It was as if the bridal robes, which were so evident, became
suddenly proofs of something tangible and real, like a garment left
by a ghost. Rose felt a sudden conviction that the quarrel was but a
temporary thing; that Charlotte would marry Barney, and that she knew
it.
A change came over Charlotte's face. She began untying the bonnet
strings.
"Sha'n't you?" repeated Rose, breathlessly.
"No, I sha'n't."
Charlotte took the bonnet off and smoothed the creases carefully out
of the strings.
"If I were you," Rose cried out, "I'd feel like tearing that bonnet
to pieces!"
Charlotte replaced it in the bandbox, and began unfastening her
dress.
"I don't see how you can bear the sight of them. I don't believe I
could bear them in the house!" Rose cried out again. "I would put
that dress in the rag-bag if it was mine!" Her cheeks burned and her
eyes were quite fierce upon the dress as Charlotte slipped it off and
it fell to the floor in a rustling heap around her.
"I don't see any sense in losing everything you have ever had because
you haven't got anything now," Charlotte returned, in a stern voice.
She laid the shining silk gown carefully on the bed, and put on her
cotton one again. Her face was quite steady.
Rose watched her with the same sharp question in her eyes. "You know
you and Barney will make it up," she said, at length.
"No, I don't," returned Charlotte. "Suppose we go down-stairs now.
I've got some work I ought to do."
Charlotte pulled down the green paper shades of the windows, and went
out of the room. Rose followed. Charlotte turned to go down-stairs,
but Rose caught her arm.
"Wait a minute," said she. "Look here, Charlotte."
"What is it?"
"Charlotte," said Rose again; then she stopped.
Charlotte turned and looked at her. Rose's eyes met hers, and her
face had a noble expression.
"You write a note to him, and I'll carry it," said Rose. "I'll go
down in the field where he is, on my way home."
Tears sprang into Charlotte's eyes. "You're real good, Rose," she
said; "but I can't."
"Hadn't you better?"
"No; I can't. Don't let's talk any more about it."
Charlotte pushed past Rose's detaining hand, and the girls went
down-stairs. Mrs. Barnard looked around dejectedly at them as they
entered the kitchen. Her eyes were red, and her mouth drooping; she
was clearing the debris of the pies from the table; there was a smell
of baking, but Cephas had gone out. She tried to smile at Rose. "Are
you goin' now?" said she.
"Yes; I've got to. I've got to sew on my muslin dress. When are you
coming over, Aunt Sarah? You haven't been over to our house for an
age."
"I don't care if I never go anywhere!" cried Sarah Barnard, with
sudden desperation. "I'm discouraged." She sank in a chair, and flung
her apron over her face.
"Don't, mother," said Charlotte.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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