The brownish hue, which her skin had
acquired from frequent exposure, was giving way to a clearer and
more brilliant complexion, while the peculiarly sweet expression
of her deep blue eyes would have made a plain face handsome. But
Dora's chief point of beauty lay in her _hair_--her beautiful
hair of reddish brown. It had grown rapidly, fully verifying
Alice's prediction, and in heavy shining braids was worn around
her classically shaped head. And Dora sat there very still--
demurely waiting for Mr. Hastings to speak, wondering if he would
be severe, and at last laughing aloud when, in place of the
expected rebuke, he asked if she knew Mr. Trevors.
"Excuse me," she said, as she saw his look of surprise, "Miss
Johnson threatened to report me for indolence, and I thought you
were going to scold me. Yes, I know Mr. Trevors. I rode horseback
with him last week."
A pang shot through Mr. Hastings's heart, but he continued,
holding up the letter, "He has sued for your hand. He asks you to
be his wife. Will you answer yes?"
And trembling with excitement, he awaited her reply, while the
revelation of a new light was faintly dawning upon him.
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