"I smell the bread," Kate exclaimed; "it's rather nice. And what is this?" she said, pausing on the heap of foolscap paper lying on the chest of drawers. "Essays—papers? 'Chapter I.' Why, I believe it is a story. Have you actually written a story? You look like an authoress. Digby says he never saw a cleverer face than yours, and he quite admires you. Read me a bit of the story; tell me the names of the people."
Poor Salome was suffering all this time the pangs which sensitive natures like hers can only understand. To have her secret hopes and fears thus ruthlessly dragged to light—to see her sheets, which, alas for her wonted carelessness, ought to have been hidden in one of those deep drawers, fingered by strange hands, was misery to her. She tried to take them from her cousin's grasp; but she held them fast, and began to read:—
"'Under the shadow of a spreading cedar-tree, two little—'"
Salome was now really angry; her eyes flashed, and she said, "Give me the manuscript directly, Kate. It is excessively rude; I hate it; I—"
"Oh, I am only in fun. I don't see anything so wonderful in writing a story. Hundreds of people write now-a-days. I hope you will get fifty pounds for 'Under the shadow of the cedars.' Dear me, I did not think you could 'flare up' like that."
"I hope you won't tell any one about what you have seen," said poor Salome in a trembling voice. "I hope—"
"Not I. I forget everything directly. 'In at one ear, out at another,' Digby says. But I want to be great friends with you, so do not let us quarrel about that stupid old story."
It was a relief to Salome to hear Stevens's voice calling her, and announcing that "Mrs. Loftus" was going, and Miss Wilton was to come down directly.
It seemed delightful to be left alone; and Mrs. Wilton lay back in her chair, and in the gathering twilight Salome saw she was quietly crying. She stole up to her, and, sitting down on a low stool, said, "You were glad to see Lady Monroe, mother. She is so kind."
"Yes, very kind; and I must make an effort to drive with her to-morrow, as she has asked me; but—"