The sight sickened her, but something that was half a ghastly
fascination, and half the terror of missing a face she knew, kept her hour
after hour motionless upon her knees. At each roll of the guns she gave a
nervous shiver and grew still as stone.
Then, as she knelt there, a man, in clerical dress, came down the pavement
and stopped before her window. "I hope your husband's wound was not
serious, Mrs. Morson," he said sympathetically. "If I can be of any
assistance, please don't hesitate to call on me."
"Jack wounded!--oh, he is not wounded," replied Virginia. She rose and
stood wildly looking down upon him.
He saw his mistake and promptly retracted what he could.
"If you don't know of it, it can't be true," he urged kindly. "So many
rumours are afloat that half of them are without foundation. However, I
will make inquiries if you wish," and he passed on with a promise to return
at once.
For a time Virginia stood blankly gazing after him; then she turned
steadily and took down her bonnet from the wardrobe. She even went to the
bureau and carefully tied the pink ribbon strings beneath her chin.
"I am going out, Mammy Riah," she said when she had finished. "No, don't
tell me I mustn't--I am going out, I say."
She stamped her foot impatiently, but Mammy Riah made no protest.
"Des let's go den," she returned, smoothing her head handkerchief as she
prepared to follow.
The sun was already high above, and the breeze, which had blown for three
days from the river, had dropped suddenly since dawn.
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