and rapidly increasing mass of vapor.  Soon the plain below—­the wide Hudson valley—­was entirely shut out, as though a great white curtain had dropped from the sky to the mountain’s base.  Just then the setting sun, which had been temporarily obscured, shone forth in glorious brightness, casting on the beautiful cloud-curtain the dark, clearly defined shadow of the mountain-top, with its crown of buildings, even the towers and turrets showing with startling distinctness.  It was like a mammoth, well-cut cameo, or a gigantic magic lantern effect, with the sun as a calcium light.

“The spectacle lasted only a few moments.  Then the cloudy curtain parted, and the valley of the Hudson was seen again, spanned by a rainbow.”

The days lengthened into weeks, Graydon coming every Friday afternoon, and wondering slightly at the demurely radiant face that greeted him.  “Truly,” he thought, “in the words of the old hymn she ’puts a cheerful courage on.’”

At times, however, she would be a little pensive.  Then his tones would have a greater depth and gentleness, and his sympathy was very sweet, although she felt a little guilty because she was in no need of it.  She could stifle her compunction by thinking: 

“There was such a long, weary time when I did need it, and was desolate because of its absence, that I must have a little now to offset those gray, lonely days.”

She had thought she loved him before, but as she saw him patiently and unselfishly seeking to brighten her life in every possible way, with no better hope than that at some time in the indefinite future she might give him what was left of her heart after the old fire had died out, her former affection seemed as pale and shadowy as she was herself when first she learned that she had a woman’s heart.

Late one Friday afternoon he startled her by asking abruptly, “Madge, what has become of that fellow out West?”

“Please don’t speak about that again,” she faltered.

“Oh, well, certainly not, if you don’t wish me to; but I thought if there was any chance—­”

“Chance for what, Graydon?”

“Confound him!  I don’t suppose I could do anything.  I want to make you happy, Madge.  I feel just like taking the idiot by the ear, bringing him to you, and saying, ’There, you unconscionable fool, look at that girl—­’ You know what I mean.  I’m suggesting the spirit, not the letter of my action.  But, Madge, believe me, if I could help you at any cost to myself—­”

“Is your regard for me, of which you spoke, so slight that you could go to work deliberately to bring that man to me?”

“There is no regard about it.  My love for you is so great that I would do anything to make you happy.”

“Madge,” called the voice of Mrs. Muir, who was following them with her husband, “where are you and Graydon?”

“Here!” cried Madge, springing up.  Then she gave her hand to him, and he saw that there were tears in her eyes.  “Graydon,” she said, “I couldn’t ask a stronger test than that.  I can’t tell you how I appreciate it.  I shall never impose any such task upon you.”