He showed her his sunny side now, and
very pleasant she found it. The loss of his sister had touched his
heart, and made him long to fill the place her death left vacant.
Better health sweetened his temper, and woke the desire to do
something worth the doing; and the sight of the only woman he had
ever really loved, reawakened the sentiment that had not died, and
made it doubly sweet.
Why he cared for Christie he could not tell, but he never had
forgotten her; and, when he met her again with that new beauty in
her face, he felt that time had only ripened the blithe girl into a
deep-hearted woman, and he loved her with a better love than before.
His whole manner showed this; for the half-careless,
half-condescending air of former times was replaced by the most
courteous respect, a sincere desire to win her favor, and at times
the tender sort of devotion women find so charming.
Christie felt all this, enjoyed it, and tried to be grateful for it
in the way he wished, thinking that hearts could be managed like
children, and when one toy is unattainable, be appeased by a bigger
or a brighter one of another sort.
"I must love some one," she said, as she leaned over a basket of
magnificent flowers just left for her by Mr.
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