A little later Mrs. Levice and Louis came down. Mrs. Levice entered first
and stood still; Louis, looking over her shoulder, saw too--nothing but
Ruth standing encircled by her husband's arm; her lovely face smiled into
his, which looked down at her with an expression that drove every drop of
blood from Arnold's face. For a moment they were unseen; but when Ruth,
who was the first to feel their presence, started from Kemp as if she had
committed a crime, Arnold came forward entirely at his ease.
Kemp met Mrs. Levice with outstretched hands and smiling eyes.
"Good-evening, Mother," he said; "we had just been speaking of you." Mrs.
Levice looked into his deep, tender eyes, and raising her arm, drew his
head down and kissed him.
Ruth had rolled forward a comfortable chair, and stood beside it with shy,
sweet look as her mother sat down and drew her down beside her. Sorrow had
softened Mrs. Levice wonderfully; and looking for love, she wooed everybody
by her manner.
"What were you saying of me?" she asked, keeping Ruth's hand in hers and
looking up at Kemp, who leaned against the mantel-shelf, his face radiant
with gladness.
"We were saying that it will do you good to come out of this great house to
our little one, till we find something better.
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