Gret; The Story of a Pagan (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1907. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XX THE FIRST SHADOW FOR once, as she went northward, Gret's fellow-passengers were not of such absorbing and satisfying interest as usual. She treated each one to a more or less cursory inspection and then turned back to the window and her own reflections, from which none attempted to arouse her. The sociably and charitably inclined were not moved to pity by her solitary state, for her expression was too thoughtful and businesslike to be construed into one of loneliness; and the flirtatiously inclined among the men could find no possible excuse for advances in the casual glances she now and then cast about the car. Gret's thoughts were divided between her destination and the scenes she had just left. She thought for a while, with a little emile on her lips, of the leave-taking at Oakland, and over the wide, bright eyes there fell the strange, mistlike curtain of a soul withdrawn for the moment from outward things. -Then Gret thought of home, and of Eva's letter, and of her father's illness. She wondered if it were really serious, or if he were just making his usual fuss about nothing. In that case Gret hardly thought her mother would cause her to be sent for. She wondered and then suddenly she ceased her speculations as a futile occupation. Soon she would be home to see for herself. She stayed one night in Portland. Knowing no other, she got into the Hotel Portland 'bus and was driven to that commodious hostelry. Next morning she paid her bill with much inward wonderment, but no outward comment. She was not much accustomed to using her arithmetical powers, but a hasty computation of the probable cost of each year of the many her father had spent there occurred to her. As she completed the final and most primitive stages of her homeward journey, Gr...