Bessie Bradfords Prize | Page 9

to be all sunshine, for a cloud came
over the heaven of her happiness before she laid her head upon her
pillow that night. But this cast no shadow as yet, and the evening
passed merrily to all three children.
"I do wish that you could come to the club-meeting on Friday, Lena,"
said Bessie, shortly before it was time for them to separate for the
night.
"So do I," said Maggie.
"I am sure that I wish it," said Lena, "but I suppose it will be some
weeks yet before I can go."
Mrs. Rush, who was sitting near, overheard the little colloquy, and at
once made a charming suggestion.
"Suppose," she said, "that you meet here till Lena is well enough to go
to your house, Maggie. My morning room shall be at your service, as
your mother's is at present."
"Oh, how good in you!" cried Maggie and Bessie, both in one breath,
while Lena's pale face flushed with gratitude and pleasure; and so the
matter was arranged, Maggie undertaking to tell all the members of the
club of the change in the place of meeting.
But, glancing at Bessie, Maggie saw that she looked somewhat
perturbed, and she suddenly remembered what had passed with Gracie
Howard that very afternoon, and that she had been urged to resume her
accustomed place among the "Cheeryble Sisters," and had consented to
do so. How would that do now? Would Lena feel like having Gracie
come here? Gracie who had treated her so badly, who had shown such
jealousy and unkindness towards her. This was rather a complication,
and considering it, Maggie became uneasy and embarrassed, and Lena,
who was very quick-sighted, saw it.
"What is the matter, Maggie?" she asked. "Do you think you would

rather not come here?"
"Oh, no!" answered Maggie, "you know I always love to come here.
But, Lena, this afternoon we met Gracie Howard, and I begged her to
come to the meeting to-morrow. She has not been since--since--the
day--of the fire."
The flush which pleasure at her aunt's offer had brought to Lena's face
deepened to crimson, which mounted to the very roots of her hair as
she heard Maggie.
Then after a moment's hesitation, she said, "Will you ask her to come,
Maggie?"
"Yes," answered Maggie, doubtfully, "I'll ask her."
"But you think that she will not come?" said Lena.
"I am afraid she will not," answered Maggie; then added, "I am sure I
should not if I were in her place; I should be too ashamed. I think she is
ashamed, Lena, and sorry, too; I really do."
Lena seemed to be considering for a moment; then she said, evidently
with a great effort,--
"Do you think she would come if I wrote and asked her? I--I would do
it if you thought she would be friends again. And, perhaps," she added,
with a little pathetic wistfulness which nearly made the tears come to
the eyes of the sympathetic Maggie and Bessie, "perhaps she would,
now, after such a thing happened to me. Do you know," sinking her
voice to a whisper, and speaking with an unreserve which she never
showed towards any one save these little friends, and seldom to them,
"do you know that when they thought I was going to die--oh, I know
that every one thought I was going to die--I used to feel so sorry for
Gracie, because we had that quarrel that very afternoon; and I knew
how I should have felt if I had been in her place, and I used to wish that
I could make up with her; and now I would really like to if she will.
Shall I write?"
Bessie, whose eyes were now brimming over, stooped and kissed her
cheek; and Maggie followed her example, as she answered, with a
break in her own voice,
"I don't see how she could help it, Lena; you dear Lena."
Maggie and Bessie were not a little astonished, not only at this burst of
confidence from the shy, reserved Lena, but also at the feeling she
expressed and her readiness to go more than half way in making

advances for the healing of a breach in which she certainly had not
been to blame.
But in the border-land through which Lena's little feet had lately trod,
many and serious thoughts had come to her; thoughts of which those
about her were all unconscious, as she lay seemingly inert and passive
from exhaustion, except when pain forced complaint from her; and
chief among these had been the recollection of the unpleasant relation
which for some time had existed between herself and Gracie Howard,
and which had culminated in the attack of jealousy and ill-temper
which the latter had shown towards her on the very afternoon