The sunlight fell through the swaying boughs on her glory of burnished hair and lighted up the curve of cheek and chin against the dark background of wood brown . All the defiance and wildness had gone from her for the time and she seemed like a helpless , weary child . He wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her . `` You must resemble your mother , '' he said absently , as if thinking aloud . `` You do n't look at all like your father . '' Lynde shook her head . `` No , I do n't look like Mother either . She was tiny and dark -- she had a sweet little face and velvet-brown eyes and soft curly dark hair . Oh , I remember her look so well . I wish I did resemble her . I loved her so -- I would have done anything to save her suffering and trouble . At least , she died in peace . '' There was a curious note of fierce self-gratulation in the girl 's voice as she spoke the last sentence . Again Alan felt the unpleasant impression that there was much in her that he did not understand -- might never understand -- although such understanding was necessary to perfect friendship . She had never spoken so freely of her past life to him before , yet he felt somehow that something was being kept back in jealous repression . It must be something connected with her father , Alan thought . Doubtless , Captain Anthony 's past would not bear inspection , and his daughter knew it and dwelt in the shadow of her knowledge . His heart filled with aching pity for her ; he raged secretly because he was so powerless to help her . Her girlhood had been blighted , robbed of its meed of happiness and joy . Was she likewise to miss her womanhood ?
XXXXX 's hands clenched involuntarily at the unuttered question .
Alan Anthony Lynde Mother eyes girlhood hair meed self-gratulation sentence