He had with difficulty
escaped from an exhortation by Robert in the cow-stable. There
was no peace in Avonlea for the unregenerate, he reflected.
Robert and Miriam had both "come out," and Mollie was hovering on
the brink.
"Dad and I are the black sheep of the family," he said, with a
laugh, for which he at once felt guilty. Eben had been brought
up with a strict reverence for all religious matters. On the
surface he might sometimes laugh at them, but the deeps troubled
him whenever he did so.
Indoors, Miriam touched her younger sister's shoulder and looked
at her affectionately.
"Won't you decide to-night, Mollie?" she asked, in a voice
tremulous with emotion.
Mollie crimsoned and turned her face away uncomfortably. She did
not know what answer to make, and was glad that a jingle of bells
outside saved her the necessity of replying.
"There's your beau, Miriam," she said, as she darted into the
sitting room.
Soon after, Eben brought the family pung and his chubby red mare
to the door for Mollie. He had not as yet attained to the
dignity of a cutter of his own. That was for his elder brother,
Robert, who presently came out in his new fur coat and drove
dashingly away with bells and glitter.
"Thinks he's the people," remarked Eben, with a fraternal grin.
The rich winter twilight was purpling over the white world as
they drove down the lane under the over-arching wild cherry trees
that glittered with gemmy hoar-frost.
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