But then her eyes came to his, and under her voice,
though with a brow all sunshine, she said, "Don't look so perplexed."
"Perplexed!" he gasped. "Isabel, you're giving me anguish!"
She gleamed an injured amazement, but promptly threw it off, and when
she turned to see if Leonard or Ruth had observed it they were moving to
meet Godfrey. Mrs. Morris was joining the General under the elm.
"How have I given you pain, dear heart?" asked Isabel, as she and Arthur
took two or three slow steps apart from the rest, so turning her face
that they should see its tender kindness.
"Ah! don't ask me, my beloved!" he warily exclaimed. "It is all gone!
Oh, the heavenly wonder to hear you, Isabel Morris, you--give me loving
names! You might have answered me so differently; but your voice, your
eyes, work miracles of healing, and I am whole again."
Isabel gave again the laugh whose blithe, final sigh was always its most
winning note. Then, with tremendous gravity, she said, "You are very
indiscreet, dear, to let me know my power."
His face clouded an instant, as if the thought startled him with its
truth and value. But when she added, with yet deeper seriousness of
brow, "That's no way to tame a shrew, my love," he laughed aloud, and
peace came again with Isabel's smile.
Then--because a woman must always insist on seeing the wrong side of the
goods--she murmured, "Tell me, Arthur, what disturbed you.
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