Confidential

           Idon’tthinkIhaveanywordsinwhichtotellthemeetingofthemotheranddaughters.Suchhoursarebeautifultolive,butveryhardtodescribe,soIwillleaveittotheimaginationofmyreaders,merelysayingthatthehousewasfullofgenuinehappiness,andthatMeg’stenderhopewasrealized,forwhenBethwokefromthatlong,healingsleep,thefirstobjectsonwhichhereyesfellwerethelittleroseandMother’sface.Tooweaktowonderatanything,sheonlysmiledandnestledcloseinthelovingarmsabouther,feelingthatthehungrylongingwassatisfiedatlast.Thenshesleptagain,andthegirlswaitedupontheirmother,forshewouldnotunclaspthethinhandwhichclungtoherseveninsleep.

           Hannahhad‘dishedup’anastonishingbreakfastforthetraveler,findingitimpossibletoventherexcitementinanyotherway,andMegandJofedtheirmotherlikedutifulyoungstorks,whiletheylistenedtoherwhisperedaccountofFather’sstate,Mr.Brooke’spromisetostayandnursehim,thedelayswhichthestormoccasionedonthehomewardjourney,andtheunspeakablecomfortLaurie’shopefulfacehadgivenherwhenshearrived,wornoutwithfatigue,anxiety,andcold.

           Whatastrangeyetpleasantdaythatwas.Sobrilliantandgaywithout,foralltheworldseemedabroadtowelcomethefirstsnow.Soquietandreposefulwithin,foreveryoneslept,spentwithwatching,andaSabbathstillnessreignedthroughthehouse,whilenoddingHannahmountedguardatthedoor.