Kilmeny of the Orchard 
     
    
   
   
    
     seemed to think I had done something 
     
     terribly wrong. Uncle Thomas said he 
     
     would never trust me out of his sight 
     
     again. I could hardly believe it when 
     
     Aunt Janet came up and told me you were 
     
     here and that I might come down. She 
     
     looked at me very strangely as she spoke, 
     
     but I could see that all the anger had gone 
     
     out of her face. She seemed pleased and 
     
     yet sad. But I am glad they have for— 
     
     given us.” 
     
    

    
     She did not tell him how glad she was, 
     
     and how unhappy she had been over the 
     
     thought that she was never to see him 
     
     again. Yesterday she would have told 
     
     him all frankly and fully; but for her 
     
     yesterday was a lifetime away—a life- 
     
     time in which she had come into her heri- 
     
     tage of womanly dignity and reserve. 
     
     The kiss which Eric had left on her lips, 
     
     the words her uncle and aunt had said to 
     
     her, the tears she had shed for the first 
     
     time on a sleepless pillow—all had con— 
     
     spired to reveal her to herself. She did 
     
    
   
   
    
     172