"Oh, yes! certainly. Thank you much for thinking of it. Indeed,"
said she, very low, as if to herself, "I don't know how to thank
you for all you are doing; but I do love you, and will pray for
you, if I may."
"If you may, Ruth" repeated Miss Benson, in a tone of surprise.
"Yes, if I may. If you will let me pray for you."
"Certainly, my dear. My dear Ruth, you don't know how often I
sin; I do so wrong, with my few temptations. We are both of us
great sinners in the eyes of the Most Holy; let us pray for each
other. Don't speak so again, my dear; at least, not to me."
Miss Benson was actually crying. She had always looked upon
herself as so inferior to her brother in real goodness, had seen
such heights above her, that she was distressed by Ruth's
humility. After a short time she resumed the subject.
"Then I may get you a black gown?--and we may call you Mrs.
Hilton?"
"No; not Mrs. Hilton!" said Ruth hastily.
Miss Benson, who had hitherto kept her eyes averted from Ruth's
face from a motive of kindly delicacy, now looked at her with
surprise.
"Why not?" asked she.
"It was my mother's name," said Ruth, in a low voice. "I had
better not be called by it."
"Then let us call you by my mother's name," said Miss Benson
tenderly. "She would have----But I'll talk to you about my
mother some other time. Let me call you Mrs. Denbigh. It will do
very well, too. People will think you are a distant relation.
Pages:
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186