The black clouds assumed a beautiful purple hue, and the white one
gradually became the palest pink.
"See! she's letting in a little sunshine, and the sorrow isn't quite so
black!" continued the child.
Another flash of lightning and a distant rumbling of thunder!
"Ah! she's hurt again! But see! The friend stays!"
"Can you see the rain?" asked Cadman. "It's coming down hard on the
other side of the mountain!"
"Yes, in spite of her friend, she's crying her heart out. She's so
unhappy!"
Then in the most brilliant hues, two long rain-bows arched their colors
over the mountain, throwing a radiance through the darkness that was
gloriously beautiful!
"Wonderful!" exclaimed Cadman, contemplating this western scene with
delight. "What now, little one?" he asked.
"God's love," said Betty softly. "God's love, casting it's beauty over
every sorrow however dark!"
Cadman looked at her in silence,--then he stood up and took her hands.
"Come Betty, let us get home now,--you'll be tired, working your brain
and body on this your first day out!"
So hand in hand they walked home, not saying much,--Cadman wishing he
could linger one week longer in this primitive little town, and Betty
feeling vaguely sad at the thought of parting with her new found friend.
*****
Alone in her room, Betty stood gazing at herself in her mirror. She saw
a tear-stained face and dejected countenance with large, sad eyes.
"Now, Betty Emmit," she said to herself, in a low sobbing voice, "Will
it do you one bit of good to cry? That won't bring him back. He's gone,
gone, gone! You might as well dry your tears, and brace up and try
to be of some use to somebody. Just a few years and you'll go to New
York--a real grown young lady, and who knows? Maybe--" here a smile
flashed across her tear stained face and Betty blushed.
Then she took from her bureau a photo of her ideal friend. Dr. Cadman's
eyes seemed to smile at her re-assuringly.
"Yes, stranger things have happened," she said feeling a little less
unhappy. "I must pray every night that God will make it possible!"
To Betty, God was her constant ever-present friend, and her every
desire went straight to the Heavenly Throne, so tonight, what she would
not have breathed to her mother, was as naturally spoken of in prayer
as her most ordinary desire!
And so she undressed for bed, and before seeking rest, she knelt down
in the moonlight and with her usual prayers added tremulously, "Dear
Father, you know how I love him. Someday let me be his wife for all
eternity!" One hour later, Mrs. Emmit peeped in to discover Betty fast
asleep with Dr. Cadman's picture clasped close to her breast. The
moonlight made sweeter the smile on Betty's face.
"Poor Betty," murmured the mother in sympathy. "She does take such deep
affections--we'll all miss him, but not like she will!" and so only
half understanding the heart of her own child, she gently closed the
door and left Betty to her dreams.
CHAPTER IV.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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