The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-09-08
CASTLE DAILY:
Story of an Irish Home Thirty Years Ago.
lContinuedl

the nttio rocky path 70 tae nlgneeb s@,t1 o-
the garden, and stood for long time looking
round. Connor and D,Arsy bad been there
hast night there weFS marks OF thelr ieSJ on
the vet path thst led up 70 the tsrrsee. How
much had the moonlight shown them OF the
Mtsle bill-eide garden that long ago Annt FL
Ian TAD planned and laid out for her own
special domain, Ellen wondered. IL wes
sed to think Of her son coming there Sy stesits'
fhay would all be strangers alike, and ~ time
went on forgottsn-forgotten Of course. Ellen
thcught of the day when she and Anne OFleh-
efsy kad walked up and down the terrace, talk
ipgjof the journey 70 England in prosPeot then,
wien Anne had told her her lot in life might
BE- like her own, to serve those she loved secret
1y, without receiving thanks for her service.
Al, but had Anne in her experience ever been
called upon for service that cost such bitter
pain % this secret bearing of the copseq uenoes
cf Conror's folly caused Ellen to-dayf Anne
snlts, not of bearing to be involved In blame
through the folly of the person served. or per-
haps mot served. ruined, by keeping his secret.
The battle OF oontsnding thoughte that had
gin again, but Ellen made . strong effort and
Put it away. There was another side Of the
question that had something more OF comfort
In IL, and she tarned her thoughts resolutely to
that. She could at least be sure she was right
in breaking completely with the Thorn
leys and Lesbis It was the only honest
course to take, unles IS she gave up Connor and
bis patriotic dreams, and = ,esouteiy aeOinsa ins,
rum. II she chose the side Of danger, and yet
could not openly declare her choice, che was
bound to watch that no friend Of hers was in
yolved unwittingly In the trouble that might
f0llow-Lesbia through affection to Connor, or
another person through affection for herself.
Is was best-it was necessary to break sudden
1y whatever ties had grown up between her
saif and the friends-no, the one friend-who
ever since the night of her fathers death had
stood apart in her thoughts as one OF those
peculiar people whom death makes dear."
II would be ungensrous to let him soffer
came; and after this last experience of Connors
Eeoklessness, what hope was there that success
sive troubles would not oomef 1t was best to
ss1 go wS tsa
the sacrifice, yet Ellen found 1t harder than
ahe had expected to acquiesce IN the decree.
She felt IL almost like Voluntarily Patting
love and care which had chung round her till
NOW. Without ever having put the thought
into words, she had all along had an inward
conviction that when John Thornley, took her
fathers dead body ont of her arms on the
morning Of his death, he had deliberately taken
upon himself the task of caring for her, as her
father had cared. She had been depending on
this care more than she had been aware of
through the past long, sad months, and now
it seemed very hard t. put 1t away, while the
horizon all around them looked darker than
ever; while certain poverty and hard priva-
tions were close upon them, and fears of
tance.
She had begun to think that Pelham had for.
gotten her, and was turning back TO the house
TO look for him, when she saw Bride Thornley,
oo1aing towards her, up the steep garden path.
Her face and manner as she hurriediy ap.
preached Ellen, were marked by the tokens of
mingled stiffness and nervousness that were
sure aigus in her otgreat agitation.
81 persuaded your brother Pelham to let me
come and speak to you in bis stead )" she began,
bEeathlessly, as soon as she was near enough
strange notion into his head that your are all
going 60 leave us Immediately. gather that
1t iS your wish chiefly; and he has gone now to
prepare your mother. Bot cannot bear TO
have it settled without more confederation.
John is 80 dreadfully hurt. Would you OF jeot
70 turn back with me to the terrace, ana let
mo have word-just one word-with you in
private ~
The word was evidently q very hard one for
Bride to speak. She made one or two false
starts, and then burst forth impetuously and
somewhat incoherently, "You told me once
that you were sure l should not blame you for
symPathising with your brother, and serving
him ct all risks; and your saying 60 makes me
hope that you will undertt and what am GO
ing to AJAX you now in my brothers interest
and forgive me If seem impairment"
al do indeed" interrupted Ellen, quickly.
''YOu mast not think, please, thst I am going
away because / am offended at anything you
said this morning. or that l shall be offended
nS anything you may say. Idont see how you
can help believing and feeling as you do about
what happened last night; and know have
NO right to be angry"
''There !" cried Bride; al have spoken incon-
siderately again. came out to apologize to
yOu as John entreated me to do, and I see
have only repeated my offence Bot, Ellen,
was going on to cay more; was going to ask
you as great favor to myself, as something
shall value beyond any gift that could be given
me, to send me back to the house with como
little word of explanation that would make us
all happy together again. A very few words
would, am sure, be enough to make all the
painful Impressions of last night pass away
Like dream. Cannot you take me for friend
20 far as to speak such words privately to me :
Perhaps l may not always have appeared as
cordial and kind es, indeed, have felt; but
IN a. my me rave bSeggSG aPyning
friend"
Ellen did not answer Immediately; she turn
cd away, her eyes from BRIDGE Sgitated face,
and looked down for some time at the castle
beneath them, With its dear old familiar tur-
rete and its ivy'clad upper windowe, through
which 30 many editions of her childish self
seemed to look ont At her, beckoning her back
to It. strong feeling came to her IS che
hat IL