The Morning herald., 1877-02-13
{; CORD lIJ
CHAPTER xxx
BEArRICE's JOURNAL.

TINS may nav be. I will trust in him and
sn tns' ~ At At night they can not be watching
ny. There is door at the north end, the
nc. me- of which is always in it. Ic.n steal
Key '; hv Nv that direction and gain my liberty.
0uI Nh - Thou who nearest prayer, grant de-
,;,erauce n to the captive!
n!F,r farewell now, my journal +; l hope never
N ace YOU again! Yet l will secrete you
y ",l ,h;s chamber, for if l am compelled to
ID ua,urn ,n' I NAV be glad to seek you again.
fs:u M.rch 6.-Eot yet! Not yet!
I alas and since yesterday what things
h,1. n happened! Last night I was to make
nav u" .ttempt. They dined at eight, and I
~s,;,ed ~, for them to retire. l waited long.
Thsv Th''s we're longer than usual.
1n.t about ten o'clock Mrs. Compton came
;nto 1oI nv room, with as frightened a face as
0'41,i sTiey want you," said she.
1Lnew whom she ment. "must go"
''s SAl.s, i dear child, what can you do?
T,nst in God. He can save you"
III HE alone can save me-" said ], "if he
iii Il has come to this that I have none
hnt Him in whom l can trust"
" She M began to weep. said no more, but
obeved the command and went down.
' S;nce was last there months had pass
ed~mopths of suffering and anguish in
hody and mind. The remembrance Of my
iast visit there came over me as l entered.
Vet | did not tremble or falter. crossed
the threshold and entered the room, and
stood before them in silence.
Issw the three men who had been there
benre. He and his son, and the man Clark.
Thew had all been drinking. Their voices
were loud and their laughter boisterous as
I approached. When l entered they be-
came quiet and all three stared at me. At
last he said to his son,
"she don't look any fatter, does she,
Johnnie" !"
'She gets enough to eat, any how" an
swered John.
'she's one of them kind" said the man
Clark, "That don't fatten up. But then,
Johnnie, you needn't talk-you haven't
much fat yourself. lad"
"Hard work." said John, whereupon the
others, thinking it an excellent joke, burst
into hoarse laug ghter. This put them into
great good humor with themselves, and
they began to turn their attention 10 me
again. Not word was said for some time
"Can you dance ?" said he, at last, speak
ing to me abruptly.
''Yes," answered.
"Ah! l thought so. l paid enough for
your education, any how. 1t would be
hard if you hadn't learned any thing else
except squallins and banging on the
piano."
! said nothing.
"Why do you stare SO, d--n you% he
cried, looking savagely at me.
| looked at the floor.
"Come now," said he. II sent for you
to see if you can dance. Dance?"
l stood still. "Dancew he repeated
with an oath. "Do you hear ?"
II can not" said /.
Perhaps you want partner" continued
he, with sneer. ''Here, Johnnie. so and
help her"
"pd rather not" said John.
CLARK, you try it-you were always
gay" and hegave hoarse laugh.
"Yes, Clark" cried John. Now's your
chance"
Clark hesitated for a moment, and then
came toward me. | stood with nv arms
folded, and looked at him fxedly. Twas
not afraid. For l thought in that hour OF
VINO these men were, and what they were.
MY life was in their hands, but l held life
cheap. | rose above the fear of the mo-
ment and felt myself their superior.
Clark came up to me and stopped.
did not move.
Curse her ?' said he. "pd as soon
dance with ghost. She looks like one,
any how"
He laughed boisterously.
, Hes afraid: He'sgetting superstitiousv'
ne cried: "What do you think of that,
Johnnie?'
We'll" drawled John, cts the first
time | ever heard Of Clark being afraid of
any thing"
, These words seemed to sting Clark to
the quick.
voice.
made no answer.
Curse her make her dance ~ he shout
eu, starting up from his chair. "Don't
'et n her bully you, you feolp'
olark stepped toward me and laid one
nsavy ~ hand on mine, while he attempted
~ pass the other round my waist. At the
. "or'or Of his polluling touch all my ma
sure T1 seemed transformed. / started back.
anefe came something like frenzy over
lne; ; l neither knew nor cared what 1