Leonard passed on toward his home. Arthur
went into his own house.
In the cottage, while being hurried into dry clothes, Minnie more
coherently explained her mishap. Wishing to play a joke on Giles, she
had slipped away from the fireside company of him and Sarah to put a
match to his fagots on the pond, run back with word that they were
burning, and laugh with Sarah while Giles should plunge out to find the
incendiaries. But she had forgotten how frail good ice may be against a
warm bank, and leaping down, had promptly broken through. She had had
the fortune to hold on by the ice's outer edge until Arthur, whom she
felt sure only Providence could have sent there, drew her out. She was
tearfully ashamed, yet not so broken in spirit but she fiercely vowed
she would get even with Giles for this yet.
Leonard went to his room, Arthur to his, and each in his way shut
himself in to darkness, silence, and the fury of his own heart.
One of the things most harrowing to Leonard was that, at every turn,
the active part fell to Arthur, while him fate held mercilessly to the
passive; and his soul writhed in unworded prayer for any conceivable
turn of events that would give him leave to act, to do!
But all he could do was done. Godfrey was sent for: everything must
await his coming. Heaven hold Arthur's hand till Godfrey could come!
Ruth returned home and began to lock up the house.
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