'
"The next morning Abraham was gone. He had not told me of his intended
absence. He had only left a note, stating the time of his return.
"It was a week ere he came. Mary had not improved in his absence, yet no
one deemed her very ill.
"I dreaded Abraham's coming home, because he had left me in silent
anger; but how could I have replied to his question otherwise than I
did? No one, not Mr. McKey himself, had asked me; and should I give him,
my brother, my answer first?
"Lazily the village-clock swung out the hours that summer's afternoon.
The stroke of three awakened me. I had not seen Mary that day.
"'I would go and see her,' I decided.
"'She was sleeping, the dear child,' Chloe said. 'She would come and
tell me when she was awake, if I would wait.'
"I said that I would stay awhile, and I wandered out under the shade of
the great whispering trees, to wait the waking hour.
"I remember the events of that afternoon, as Mary and Martha must have
remembered the day on which Lazarus came up from the grave unto them.
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