A Colonial Wooing
bands of Indians about that he had heard of.
The little peeping frogs in the far-off marshes were whistling and clicking merrily, and as the breeze bore this strange sound nearer and then carried it away until almost unheard, so John's hopes and fears came and went. Not cowardice at the possible danger to himself of carrying out his plans, but lest for reasons beyond his control they might not succeed. Then the flood-tide of his love for Ruth would sweep over him, and he was ready to meet the world on any terms. What though the meeting should question the stand that he had taken? He knew that the truth could be preached from the hill-tops without reflection upon her or upon himself, and the murmured slander, the meaning look, the hint, suspicion on the part of his nearest friends,—all this he must meet, it may be, but with Ruth by his side he would have strength to do it. "But," continued John, musing, "there must not come an ugly word directly to my ears." And the Friends' principle of non-resistance and long
204
