And yet I understood neither the happiness nor the tears.  I did not know (how should I?) what were the new feelings which made my heart beat at George Hammond’s name.  I did not know why I yearned towards his sister with a warmth of love that would fain show itself in kindly word or deed.  I did not know why the news that he was coming again, which greeted me after long weeks of weariness, brightened with joyful radiance everything that I saw, and glorified the aspect of my little garret, as I had seen a brilliant bunch of flowers glorify and refine with a light of beauty the every-day ugliness of our sitting-room.

I sang my merriest songs that night, and my feet kept time to their music in almost dancing measures.  The next day, yes, by noon, he would be at home.  I could see his boat land from my little window, and then, giving Miss Hammond time to be safely housed, I would row myself over to the store and meet him there.  How much I should have to tell him, how much to hear!

The morning came, and with it came a nervous bashfulness.  I should never dare to go over to see him.  No, I would wait quietly until night, when he would surely come himself to see me.  Still I could watch his boat.  And nervously did I stand, my face pressed against the window-pane, through the long morning hours, my sewing dropped neglected in my lap at the risk of a scolding from my mother, watching the slow-passing river, and the leaves hanging motionless over it in the stillness of the summer noon.  At last there was a stir on the opposite shore.  Yes, the boat must be in sight; I could even hear the shouts of the boatmen; and there, rounding the bluff, she was; there, too, was Mr. Hammond in the stern, with the rudder in his hand; there sat Miss Hammond, book in hand, with her usual look of listless disdain.  But whose was that girlish face raised towards Mr. Hammond, while he pointed out so eagerly the surrounding objects? whose that slight, girlish figure crowned with the light garden-hat, with its wealth of golden hair escaping from under it?

A sharp pang shot through me.  Some one was coming to disturb my happy hours with my teacher and friend; and the chill of disappointment was on me already.  I saw the boat land, saw George Hammond assist carefully every step of the strange girl, saw an elderly gentleman step also upon the bank and give his hand to Miss Hammond, and in two minutes the trees of the landing hid them from my sight.

And how slowly went the hours of that afternoon! how nervously I listened to every tread, to every click of the gate! nay, my sharpened hearing took note of every sway of the branches.  But the day passed, the night, and no one came.  The next morning brought with it an impatience which mastered me.  I must go, I must see him, and in five minutes I was pushing my boat from its cove under the water-maple.