Before The Bridal

"It was wicked in her to fetch you here," she said to Maddy, one day
when in Lucy's room she found her sitting upon the floor, with her
head bowed down upon the window sill. "But law, she's a triflin'
thing, and didn't know 'twould kill you, poor child, poor Maddy!" and
Mrs. Noah laid her hand kindly on Maddy's hair. "Maybe you'd better go
home," she continued, as Maddy made no reply; "it must be hard, to be
here in the rooms, and among the things which by good rights should be
yours."

"No, Mrs. Noah," and Maddy's voice was strangely unnatural, as she
lifted up her head, revealing a face so haggard and white that Mrs.
Noah was frightened, and asked in much alarm if anything new had
happened.

"No, nothing; I was going to say that I'd rather stay a little longer
where there are signs and sounds of life. I should die to be alone at
Honedale to-morrow. I may die here, I don't know. Do you know that
to-morrow will be the bridal?"

Yes, Mrs. Noah knew it; but she hoped it might have escaped Maddy's
mind.

"Poor child," she said again, "poor child, I mistrust you did wrong to
tell him no!"

"Oh, Mrs. Noah, don't tell me that; don't make it harder for me to
bear. The tempter has been telling me so, all day, and my heart is so
hard and wicked, I cannot pray as I would. Oh, you don't know how
wretched I am!" and Maddy hid her face in the broad, motherly lap,
sobbing so wildly that Mrs. Noah was greatly perplexed, how to act, or
what to say.