Margaret could hardly keep from crying at the tender anxiety with which Frederick was bringing before her an event which she herself felt was not very improbable, so severely had the cares of the last few months told upon Mr. Hale. But she tried to rally as she said:
"There have been such strange unexpected changes in my life during these last two years, that I feel more than ever that it is not worth while to calculate too closely what I should do if any future event took place. I try to think only upon the present." She paused; they were standing still for a moment, close on the field side of the stile leading into the road; the setting sun fell on their faces. Frederick held her hand in his, and looked with wistful anxiety into her face, reading there more care and trouble than she would betray by words. She went on:
"We shall write often to one another, and I will promise--for I see it will set your mind at ease--to tell you every worry I have. Papa is"--she started a little, a hardly visible start--but Frederick felt the sudden motion of the hand he held, and turned his full face to the road, along which a horseman was slowly riding, just passing the very stile where they stood. Margaret bowed; her bow was stiffly returned.

Margaret could hardly keep from crying. Frederick was bringing before her an event which she herself felt was not improbable, so severely had the cares of the last few months affected Mr. Hale. But she said:
'There have been such unexpected changes in my life during these last two years, that it is not worth while trying to predict the future. I try to think only of the present.' She paused; they stood still for a moment, by the stile leading into the road; the setting sun fell on their faces. Frederick held her hand, and looked with wistful anxiety into her face, as she went on:
'We shall write often to one another, and I will promise to tell you every worry I have. Papa is' - she started a little, and Frederick turned to look at the road, along which a horseman was slowly riding, just passing the stile where they stood. Margaret bowed; her bow was stiffly returned.
