witheld her from obtruding commonplaces upon the attention of a mind
torn by suspense--distracted between disappointment and outraged
pride, and Mabel had not besought her sympathy in her grievous
strait. They walked on swiftly, the one staring straight forward,
yet seeing nothing; the other, although thoughtful, losing not one
feature of the landscape--the light-gray sky, the encircling forest,
the yellow broom-straw clothing the hill-sides, the crooked fences,
lined with purple brush, golden-rod, black-bearded alder and sumach,
flaming with scarlet berry cones and motley leaves. It was her
principle and habit to seize upon whatever morsels of delight were
dropped in her way, and she had a taste for attractive bits of
scenery, as for melody. There was no reason why the evil estate of
her companion should debar her from quiet enjoyment of the autumn
day. She was sorry that Mabel was suffering. It was unpleasant to
see pain or grief. Smiles were prettier than glum looks. She hoped
she had enough humanity about her to enable her to recognize these
facts. But, in her soul, she despised the girl for her tacit
acquiescence in her brother's decree; contemned her yet more for her
partial credence of the rumor of her lover's unworthiness. It was as
well, taking these things into account, that Mabel was not
communicative with regard to the great change that had befallen her
since this hour yesterday, when she had exultingly proclaimed that
her trust was "founded upon a rock."

"Varium et mutabile semper faemina!" reflected Rosa, who knew that
much Latin--and attracted by the waving of the bright grasses
beneath the waves of the rivulet they were crossing, she stopped to
lean over the railing and poke them aside from the stones with a
chincapin switch she had picked up a little way back.