"Grey, Zane - Betty Zane" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grey Zane)

her brother and playmate. With a cry of joy she fell on her knees beside him
and threw her arms around his neck.

"Oh, Isaac, brother, brother!" she cried, as she kissed him again and again.
"Can it really be you? Oh, it is too good to be true! Thank God! I have prayed
and prayed that you would be restored to us."

Then she began to cry and laugh at the same time in that strange way in which
a woman relieves a heart too full of joy. "Yes, Betty. It is all that is left
of me," he said, running his hand caressingly over the dark head that lay on
his breast.

"Betty, you must not excite him," said Colonel Zane.

"So you have not forgotten me?" whispered Isaac.

"No, indeed, Isaac. I have never forgotten," answered Betty, softly. "Only
last night I spoke of you and wondered if you were living. And now you are
here. Oh, I am so happy!" The quivering lips and the dark eyes bright with
tears spoke eloquently of her joy.

"Major will you tell Captain Boggs to come over after supper? Isaac will be
able to talk a little by then, and he has some news of the Indians," said
Colonel Zane.

"And ask the young man who saved my life to come that I may thank him," said
Isaac.

"Saved your life?" exclaimed Betty, turning to her brother, in surprise, while
a dark red flush spread over her face. A humiliating thought had flashed into
her mind.

"Saved his life, of course," said Colonel Zane, answering for Isaac. "Young
Clarke pulled him out of the river. Didn't he tell you?"

"No," said Betty, rather faintly.

"Well, he is a modest young fellow. He saved Isaac's life, there is no doubt
of that. You will hear all about it after supper. Don't make Isaac talk any
more at present."

Betty hid her face on Isaac's shoulder and remained quiet a few moments; then,
rising, she kissed his cheek and went quietly to her room. Once there she
threw herself on the bed and tried to think. The events of the day, coming
after a long string of monotonous, wearying days, had been confusing; they had
succeeded one another in such rapid order as to leave no time for reflection.
The meeting by the river with the rude but interesting stranger; the shock to
her dignity; Lydia's kindly advice; the stranger again, this time emerging
from the dark depths of disgrace into the luminous light as the hero of her
brother's rescue--all these thoughts jumbled in her mind making it difficult