"Your brother is out of danger and wishes to see you, Miss Singleton,"
said the surgeon.
The lady burst into a flood of tears. Frances had stood contemplating
the action and face of Isabella with a kind of uneasy admiration, but
she now sprang to her side with the ardor of a sister, and kindly
drawing her arm within her own, led the way to a retired room. The
movement was so ingenuous, so considerate, and so delicate, that even
Miss Peyton withheld her interference, following the youthful pair with
only her eyes and a smile of complacency. The feeling was communicated
to all the spectators, and they dispersed in pursuit of their usual
avocations. Isabella yielded to the gentle influence of Frances without
resistance; and, having gained the room where the latter conducted her,
wept in silence on the shoulder of the observant and soothing girl,
until Frances thought her tears exceeded the emotion natural to the
occasion. The sobs of Miss Singleton for a time were violent and
uncontrollable, until, with an evident exertion, she yielded to a kind
observation of her companion, and succeeded in suppressing her tears.
Raising her face to the eyes of Frances, she rose, while a smile of
beautiful radiance passed over her features; and making a hasty apology
for the excess of her emotion, she desired to be conducted to the room
of the invalid.
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