The Wishing Carpet
look up to you, and glory in what you’ve done——”

[89]

“But you don’t love me?” He was accusing, bitter.

She felt guilty and forlorn and forsaken, and the tears came into her eyes. “Oh, Luke, I love what you are, and what you’re going to do and to be— And I will marry you! I will! I want to, and Dad wanted me to, but if you’ll wait——”

“If it’s the Tenafee woman—” he began, between set teeth.

“Miss Ada? No, Luke, no! She has never said a word—we’ve never talked of you! It’s my own fault—my own wicked, ungrateful fault, but I’ll try, oh, I’ll try to——”

“Glen, dear! Oh, Glen!” fluted Miss Ada Tenafee’s gentle voice. She opened the door and looked out, her bright face clouding over at sight of Luke Manders. “Glen, honey, you have callers. Good afternoon, Luke!”

He stared at her rudely, consideringly, without answering.

[90]“Oh, who is it, Miss Ada? Callers? For me? I was just coming in, and Luke is coming, too. Yes, Luke, please—” she laid her hand on his arm as he turned away. She could not let him go like that. “Come in, if only for a minute.”

[90]

Looking at Miss Ada, reading her quite visible hope that he would refuse, he turned and followed Glen into the house, the teacher fluttering after.

“It’s Nancy Carey, Glen, honey, and another old friend of yours! They’ve been here half an hour, and I gave them tea, and I was so anxious for fear you might be delayed at the mill——”

Nancy Carey, lovely and languid in the doctor’s shabby armchair, held up a pale hand. “Hello, Glen! Here’s somebody who was crazy to see you!” She indicated the other girl who jumped to her feet and came laughing to meet the mistress of the house.

“Well, look what spring has brought you!” Her voice was high and sharp, and her whole look was of sharpness—her very bright eyes with their darkened lashes, and brows plucked to a tiny black line, the almost mauve of her cheeks and her violent cerise mouth. “Know who I am?”

Glen shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t remember—” she began uncomfortably.

“Don’t remember the 
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