Page:Maud Howe - Atlanta in the South.djvu/77

 his vanity in regard to his child was unbounded. The most unassuming people often make the vainest parents.

A group of moving lights appeared at the end of the gallery. Margaret supposed they were carried by a party of miners, and paid no heed to their approach. The lights halted at the foot of the scaffolding, and still she went on retouching the features with a loving care. There was a pause, then a shout of greeting fell upon her ear. She started; and being perilously near the edge of the planking, gave a little cry of fright before she could answer the salutation. When she learned that her friends had come to visit her, she made her way down the ladder. Philip was the first to take her hand.

"How could you deceive me so?" he asked.

"I did n't; I only let you be deceived."

"Beshrew you for an evil-disposed little thing. I wonder you dared come down at all. Do you call this the part of friendship?" cried Mrs. Harden.

"Forgive me, all of you! I did want to keep my secret to myself, and you have got the better of me, after all; so be magnanimous."

"It will depend upon how we like your Lot's wife. It's that, of course, you have been digging out of the wall?" rejoined Mrs. Harden, laughing.