Page:Burnett - Two Little Pilgrims' Progress A Story of the City Beautiful.djvu/190

170 straightforward, practical replies would reveal. They had not sentimentalised over their friendless loneliness, but he had found himself realising what desolate, unnoticed, and uncared-for things their lives were. They had not told him how they had tired their young bodies with work too heavy for them, but he had realised it. In his mind there had risen a picture of the Straw Parlour under the tent-like roof of the barn, with these two huddled together in the cold, buried in the straw while they talked over their desperate plans. They had never thought of calling themselves strong and determined and clear of wit, but he knew how strong and firm of purpose and endurance two creatures so young and unfriended and so poor must have been to form a plan so bold, and carry it out in the face of the obstacles of youth and inexperience and empty pockets and hands. He had laughed at the story of the Treasure saved in pennies and hidden deep in the straw, but as he had laughed he had thought with a quick, soft throb of his heart, that the woman he had loved and lost would have laughed with him with tears in the eyes which Meg's reminded him of. He somehow felt as if she might be wandering about with them in their City Beautiful this morning, they were so entirely creatures she would have been drawn to, and longed to make happier.