"Look into my eyes, Valmai," said Gwladys, kneeling once more before
her sister.
And Valmai looked full into the blue orbs, the counterpart of her own,
with fearless, open gaze.
"Now speak," said Gwladys, taking her sister's hand, and holding it on
her own fast-beating heart; "now tell me, here as we kneel together
before the All-seeing God and His holy angels, do you know of any
reason why we two, when we have dropped these bodies, should not stand
in equal purity before the Throne of God?"
"Before God there is none! Of course, Gwladys, my heart is full of the
frailties and sin belonging to our human nature; but I understand what
you mean; and again I say, there is none!"
"I will believe you, darling," said her sister, throwing her arms
around her, "I will believe you, dearest; I will take you into my warm
heart, and I will cling to you for ever!"
"But I must go, Gwladys; I want to find some home where I can make
myself useful, and where I can fill my mind and hands with work
until--until--"
"Until when, dear?" said Gwladys.
Valmai rose with a troubled face and tearful eyes, and, stretching out
her hands, she gazed over them into the far distance, with a dreamy
look which gradually changed into a brightening smile.
"Until the happy future comes! It will come some day, Gwladys, and
then you will be glad you trusted your sister."
"Then to-night, dear," said Gwladys, "we will bury the last eighteen
months. I will never think of them or allude to them until you choose
to enlighten me. One thing only, Valmai," she added, "forget that
man--learn to despise him as I do; here is the fourth on my list! Let
us go to bed, dear; we are both tired."
And the two sisters were soon sleeping side by side, so much alike in
every feature and limb, that no one looking at them would have been
able to distinguish one from the other.
"What a strange thing," said Mrs. Power, a few days afterwards, as they
roamed about the grounds together, "that the Merediths should have
written to me just the day before you came! My dear, I think it will
be a delightful home for you. True, Mifanwy is an invalid, and you
will be her companion; but then they are advised to amuse her as much
as possible, and she sees a good deal of life, often going about from
one place to another. Let me see! they will get my letter to-morrow,
and I have no doubt they will write by return of post; but we can't
spare you for a month, dear. You know you promised us that!" And the
old lady purred on, walking between the twins, and much interested in
her plans.