Glory of Youth   By: Temple Bailey (-1953)

GLORY OF YOUTH

BY TEMPLE BAILEY

AUTHOR OF CONTRARY MARY

ILLUSTRATED BY HENRY HUTT and C. S. CORSON

NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS

Made in the United States of America

[Illustration: Publishers mark]

First printing, August, 1913 Second printing, February, 1916 Third printing February, 1917 Fourth printing August, 1919

Manufacturing Plant

Camden, N. J.

The Glory of Youth

To My Mother

Contents

I. BETTINA 9

II. IN THE SHADOWY ROOM 21

III. IN WHICH DIANA REAPS 36

IV. WHITE LILACS 51

V. IN WHICH BETTINA DANCES 64

VI. "FOR EVERY MAN THERE IS JUST ONE WOMAN" 80

VII. HARBOR LIGHT 94

VIII. THE EMPTY HOUSE 105

IX. THE GOLDEN AGE 116

X. STORM SIGNALS 127

XI. THE WHITE MAIDEN 141

XII. YOUTH AND BEAUTY 155

XIII. HER LETTER TO ANTHONY 170

XIV. THE LITTLE SILVER RING 185

XV. IN WHICH BETTINA FLIES 199

XVI. VOICES IN THE DARK 213

XVII. GLORY OF YOUTH 227

XVIII. PENANCE 242

XIX. HER FATHER'S RING 257

XX. THE "GRAY GULL" 272

XXI. BROKEN WINGS 285

XXII. THE ENCHANTED FOREST 300

XXIII. THE PROCESSION OF PRETTY LADIES 316

XXIV. THE AFTERGLOW 323

Glory of Youth

CHAPTER I

BETTINA

The girl knelt on the floor, feverishly packing a shabby little trunk.

Outside was a streaming April storm, and the rain, rushing against the square, small paned windows, shut out the view of the sea, shut out the light, and finally brought such darkness that the girl stood up with a sigh, brushed off her black dress with thin white hands, and groped her way to the door.

Beyond the door was the blackness of an upper hall in a tall century old house. A spiral stairway descended into a well of gloom. An ancient iron lantern, attached to a chain, hung from the low ceiling.

The girl lighted the lantern, and the faint illumination made deeper the shadows below.

And from the shadows came a man's voice.

"May I come up?"

As the girl bent over the railing, the glow of the lantern made of her hair a shining halo. "Oh," she cried, radiantly, "I'm so glad you've come. I I was afraid "

The thunder rolled, the waves pounded on the rocks, and the darkness grew more dense, but now the girl did not heed, for what mattered a mere storm, when, ascending the stairs, was one who knew fear neither of life nor of death, nor of the things which come after death?

When at last her visitor emerged from the gloom, he showed himself beyond youthful years, with hair slightly touched with gray, not tall, but of a commanding presence, with clear, keen blue eyes, and with cheeks which were tanned by out of door exercise, and reddened by the prevailing weather.

"I just had to come," he said, as he took her hand. "I knew you'd be frightened."

"Yes," she said, "Miss Matthews is at school, and I am alone "

"And unhappy?"

Her lips quivered, but she drew her hand from his, and went on into the shabby room, where she lighted a candle in a brass holder, and touched a match to a fire which was laid in the blackened brick fireplace.

The doctor's quick eye noted the preparations for departure.

"What does that mean?" he asked, and pointed to the trunk.

"I I am going away "

"Away?"

"Yes," nervously; "I I can't stay here, doctor."

"Why not?"