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t you？ What are you doing up so early？〃 Cynthia paused at strained attention on the threshold。 〃I'm going to the Morrisons'； mother； to spend the day。 You know I told you Miss Martha had promised to teach me that new fancy stitch。〃 〃But； my dear； surely it is bad manners to arrive before eleven o'clock。 I remember once when I was a girl that we went over to Meadow Hall before ten in the morning； and found old Mrs。 Dudley just putting on her company cap。〃 〃But they begged me to come to breakfast； dear。〃 〃Well； customs change； of course； but be sure to take Mrs。 Morrison a jar of the green tomato catchup。 You know she always fancied it。〃 〃Yes； yes； good…by till evening。〃 She moved on hurriedly； her clumsy shoes creaking on the bare planks； and a moment afterward as the door closed behind them they passed out into the first sunbeams。 Beyond the whitewashed fence the old field was silvered by the heavy dew； and above it the great pine towered like a burnished cross upon the western sky。 To the eastward a solitary thrush was singinga golden voice straight from out the sunrise。 〃This is worth getting up for！〃 said Lila； with a long； joyful breath； and she broke into a tender carolling as spontaneous as the bird's。 The bloom of the summer was in her face； and as she moved with her buoyant step along the red clay road she was like a rare flower blown lightly by the wind。 To Cynthia's narrowed eyes she seemed； indeed； a heroine descended from old romancea maiden to whom； even in these degenerate modern days； there must at last arrive a noble destiny。 That Lila at the end of her twenty…six years should have wearied of her long waiting and grown content to compromise with fate would have appeared to her impossibleas impossible as the transformation of young Jim Weatherby into the fairy prince。
〃Hush！〃 she said suddenly； shifting her bundle of sewing from one arm to the other； 〃there's a wagon turning from the branch road。〃 They had reached the first bend beyond the gate； and as they rounded the long curve； hidden by honey…locusts； a light spring wagon came rapidly toward them； with Jim Weatherby； in his Sunday clothes； on the driver's seat。 〃Father's rheumatism is so bad he couldn't get out to…day；〃 he explained； as he brought the horses to a stand； 〃so as long as I had to take the butter over； I thought I might save you the five miles。〃 He spoke to Cynthia； and she drew back stiffly。 〃It is a pleasant day for a walk；〃 she returned dryly。 〃But it's going to be hot；〃 he urged； 〃I can tell by the way the sun licks up the dew。〃 A feathery branch of the honey…locust was in his face； and he pushed it impatiently aside as he looked at Lila。 〃I waited late just to take you；〃 he added wistfully； jumping from his seat and going to the horses' heads。 〃Won't you get in？〃 〃You will be so tired； Cynthia；〃 Lila persuaded。 〃Think of the walking you have to do in town。〃 As Jim Weatherby glanced up brightly from the strap he was fastening； the smile in his blue eyes was like a song of love； and when the girl met it she heard again the solitary thrush singing in the sunrise。 〃You will come？〃 he pleaded； and this time he looked straight at her。
〃Well； I reckon I will； if you're going anyway；〃 said Cynthia at last； 〃and if I drive with you there'll be no use for Lila to go she can stay with mother。〃
〃But mother doesn't need me；〃 said Lila； in answer to Jim's wistful eyes； 〃and it's such a lovely dayafter getting up so early I don't want to stay indoors。〃
Without a word Jim held out his band to Cynthia； and she climbed； with unbending dignity； to the driver's seat。 〃You know you've got that dress to turn； Lila；〃 she said； as she settled her stiff skirt primly over her knees。
〃I can do it when I get home；〃 answered Lila； laying her hand on the young man's arm and stepping upon the wheel。 〃Where shall I sit； Jim？〃
Cynthia turned and looked at her coldly。
〃You'd be more comfortable in that chair at the back；〃 she suggested； and Lila sat down obediently in the little splitbottomed chair between a brown stone jar of butter and a basket filled with new…laid eggs。 The girl folded her white hands in the lap of her faded muslin and listened patiently to the pleasant condescension in Cynthia's voice as she discussed the belated planting of the crops。 As the spring wagon rolled in the shade of the honey…locusts between the great tobacco fields； striped with vivid green； the June day filled the younger sister's eyes with a radiance that seemed but a reflection of its own perfect beauty。 Not once did her lover turn from Cynthia to herself； but she was conscious； sitting quietly beside the great brown jar； that for him she filled the morning with her presencethat he saw her in the blue sky； in the sunny fields； and in the long red road with the delicate shadowing of the locusts。 In her cramped life there had been so little room in which her dreams might wander that gradually the romantic devotion of her old playmate had grown to represent the measure of her emotional ideal。 In spite of her poetic face she was in thought soundly practical； and though the plain Cynthia might send a fanciful imagination in pursuit of the impossible； to Lila the only destiny worth cherishing at heart was the one that drew its roots deep from the homely soil about her。 The stern class distinctions which had always steeled Cynthia against the friendly advances of her neighbours troubled the younger sister not at all。 She remembered none of the past grandeur； the old Blake power of rule； and the stories of gallant indiscretions and powdered beaux seemed to her as worthless as the moth…eaten satin rags which filled the garret。 She loved the familiar country children； the making of fresh butter； and honest admiration of her beauty； and except for the colourless poverty in which they lived； she might easily have found her placid happiness on the little farm。 With ambitionthe bitter； agonised ambition that Cynthia felt for hershe was as unconcerned as was her blithe young lover chatting so merrily in the driver's seat。 The very dullness of her imagination had saved her from the awakening that follows wasted hopes。
〃The tobacco looks well；〃 Cynthia was saying in her formal tones； 〃all it needs now is a rain to start it growing。 You've got yours all in by now； I suppose。〃
〃Oh； yes； mine was put in before Christopher's；〃 responded Jim； feeling instantly that the woman beside him flinched at his unconscious use of her brother's name。
〃He is always late；〃 she remarked with forced politeness； and the conversation dragged until they reached the cross…roads and she climbed into the stage。
〃Be sure to hurry back；〃 were her last words as she rumbled off； and when； in looking over her shoulder at the first curve； she saw Lila lift her beaming eyes to Jim Weatherby's face； the protest of all the dust in the old graveyard was in the groan that hovered on her lips。 She herself would have crucified her happiness with her own loyal hands rather than have dishonoured by so much as an unspoken hope the high excellences inscribed upon the tombstones of those mouldered dead。
In her shabby black dress； with her heavy bundle under her arm； she passed； a lonely； pathetic figure； through the