“Oh, Robby, darling—­I can never, never let you go!”

So softly wailed Ruth, her slim young form clinging to her sister’s, regardless of her bridesmaid’s crushed finery, daintily cherished till this moment.  Over her head Roberta’s eyes looked into her mother’s.  There were no tears in the fine eyes which met hers, but somehow Roberta knew that Ruth’s heartache was a tiny pain beside that other’s.

Richard, looking on, standing ready to take his bride away, wondered once more within himself how he could have the heart to do it.  But it was done, and he and Roberta were off together down the steps; and he was putting her into Mr. Kendrick’s closed car; and she was leaning past him to wave and wave again at the dear faces on the porch.  Under the lights here and there one stood out more clearly than the rest—­Louis’s, flushed and virile; Rosamond’s, lovely as a child’s; old Mr. Kendrick’s, intent and grave, forgetting to smile.  The father and the mother were in the shadow—­but little Gordon, Stephen’s boy, made of himself a central figure by running forward at the last to fling up a sturdy arm and cry: 

“Good-bye, Auntie Wob—­come back soon!”

It had been a white Christmas, and the snow had fallen lightly all day long.  It was coming faster now, and the wind was rising, to Richard’s intense satisfaction.  He had been fairly praying for a gale, improbable though that seemed.  There was a considerable semblance of a storm, however, through which to drive the twelve miles to the waiting cabin on the hilltop, and when the car stopped and the door was opened, a heavy gust came swirling in.  The absence of lights everywhere made the darkness seem blacker, out here in the country, and the general effect of outer desolation was as near this strange young man’s desire as could have been hoped.

“Good driving, Rogers.  It was a quick trip, in spite of the heavy roads at the last.  Thank you—­and good-night.”

“Thank you, sir.  Good-night, Mr. Kendrick—­and Mrs. Kendrick, if I may.”

“Good-night, Rogers,” called the voice Rogers had learned greatly to admire, and he saw her face smiling at him as the lights of the car streamed out upon it.

Then the great car was gone, and Richard was throwing open the door of the cabin, letting all the warmth and glow and fragrance of the snug interior greet his bride, as he led her in and shut the door with a resounding force against the winter night and storm.

It had been a dream of his that he should put her into one of the big, cushioned, winged chairs, and take his own place on the hearth-rug at her feet.  Together they should sit and look into the fire, and be as silent or as full of happy speech as might seem to befit the hour.  Now, when he had bereft her of her furry wraps and welcomed her as he saw fit, he made his dream come true.  He told her of it as he put her in her chair, and saw her lean back against the comfortable cushioning with a long breath of inevitable weariness after many hours of tension.