For a while she had lain, half dozing, half awake, pleasantly conscious of the soft, warm bed, and only half emerged from the atmosphere of dreamland.
As at last she opened her eyes, the newly risen sun, bright from his ocean bath, was shining into the room, and the birds were singing.

A lilac bush before the window was moving in the breeze, and the shadows of its twigs were netting the sunbeams on the wall as they danced to and fro.
The spirit of the jocund morn quite carried her away, and all unthinkingly she bounded out into the room and, stood there with a smile of sheer delight upon her face.

She had forgotten all about her shame and sorrow.

For an instant they were as completely gone from her mind as if they had never been, and for that instant nowhere did the sun's far-reaching eye rest on a blither or more innocent face.

Then memory laid its icy finger on her heart and stilled its bounding pulse.