Legrange.
So the whole party followed Teddy up the stairs to a door, where he
paused and knocked. A low voice said,--
"Come in!" and the opening door showed Dora seated upon a low chair,
with Sunshine clasped in her arms, and fast asleep. She made a
motion to rise upon seeing the visitors; but Mrs. Legrange, lifting
her finger as imploring silence softly advanced, and bent with
clasped hands and eager eyes over the sleeping child. Then, with the
graceful instinct of a woman who knows and pities the wound in the
heart of her less fortunate rival, she put her arms about Dora and
the child, embracing both, and pressed her lips lightly upon Dora's
cheek, devouringly upon Sunshine's lips.
Dora started as if she had been stung, and a sudden tremor crossed
the rigid calm of her demeanor. She had schooled herself to
indifference, to neglect or to civil thanks worse than either: but
this unexpected tenderness, this sisterly recognition, went straight
through all its defences to her quivering heart; and she looked up
piteously into the lovely face bent over her, whispering,--
"I am so glad you have found her! but I have nothing left half so
dear."
There was no reply; for Sunshine, without sound or movement,
suddenly opened her eyes, and fixed them upon her mother's face,
while deep in their blue depths grew a glad smile, breaking at last,
like a veritable sungleam, all over her face, as, holding out her
arms, she eagerly said,--
"I've come to heaven while I was asleep; and you're the angel that
loves me so dearly well.
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