Womanhood

On this account Maddy did not look forward to the coming vacation as
joyfully as she would otherwise have done. Still it was, always
pleasant going home, and she sat talking with her young friends of all
they expected to do, when a servant entered the room and glancing over
the group of girls, singled Maddy out saying, as he placed an unsealed
envelope in her hand. "A telegram for Miss Clyde."

There was a blur before Maddy's eyes, so that at first she could not
see clearly, and Jessie, climbing on the bench beside her, read aloud: "Your grandmother is dying. Come at once. Agnes and Jessie will stay
till next week.

"Guy Remington"

It was impossible to go that afternoon but with the earliest dawn she
was up, and unmindful of the snow falling so rapidly, started on the
sad journey home. It was the first genuine storm of the season, and it
seemed resolved on making amends for past neglect, sweeping in furious
gusts against the windows sifting down in thick masses from the leaden
sky, and so impeding the progress of the train that the chill wintery
night had closed gloomily in ere the Sommerville station was reached,
and Maddy, weary and dispirited, stepped out upon the platform,
glancing anxiously around for the usual omnibus, which she had little
hope would be there on such a night. If not, what should she do? This
had been the burden of her thoughts for the last few hours, for she
could not expect Guy to send out his horses in this fearful storm,
much less to be there himself. But Guy was there, and it was his voice
which first greeted her as she stood half blinded by the snow,
uncertain what she must do next.