Her
other hand pressed her bosom where her heart beat with unwonted vigor.
Footsteps and voices sounded beneath her. Twilight had deepened into night.
The low murmur of the waterfall and the babble of the brook floated to her
strained ears.
Listeners never heard good of themselves. But Stanton's subtle doubt of any
depth to her, though it hurt, was not so conflicting as the ringing truth
of Flo Hutter's love for Glenn. This unsought knowledge powerfully affected
Carley. She was forewarned and forearmed now. It saddened her, yet did not
lessen her confidence in her hold on Glenn. But it stirred to perplexing
pitch her curiosity in regard to the mystery that seemed to cling round
Glenn's transformation of character. This Western girl really knew more
about Glenn than his fiancee knew. Carley suffered a humiliating shock when
she realized that she had been thinking of herself, of her love, her life,
her needs, her wants instead of Glenn's. It took no keen intelligence or
insight into human nature to see that Glenn needed her more than she needed
him.
Thus unwontedly stirred and upset and flung back upon pride of herself,
Carley went downstairs to meet the assembled company. And never had she
shown to greater contrast, never had circumstance and state of mind
contrived to make her so radiant and gay and unbending.
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