Bressant

Chapter 23

ARMED NEUTRALITY.

One afternoon in the cool heart of October, Cornelia and Sophie found

themselves on the hill which rose up in front of the house, above the

road, bound on a hunt for autumn leaves. They were alone. Bressant's

time for coming was still an hour distant. A few nights before there had

been a frost, which had inspired a rainbow soul into the woods; and the

glory of the golden and crimson leaves made it imperatively necessary

that they should be gathered and allowed to illuminate the dusky

interior of the Parsonage.

Since Cornelia's return home, the sisters had not been so much together

as formerly. Sophie had observed it, and secretly blamed herself: she

allowed Bressant to monopolize her--left Cornelia out in the cold--was

selfish and thoughtless just because she