Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-03-26

Dut IN the excess OF her nervous appr6-i
hension, she took one of the men-ser-n
wants with her in case Of emergency.
CHAPTER XII. 1.-THE GENERALS FAMILY.
Not always remarkable for orarriying at D
just conclusions, Lady Loring had
drawn tho right Inference this time. u
Stella had stopped the first cab that
passed her, and had directed, the drive
to Camps Hill, Islington. 4 Is
The aspect of the miserable little
street, closed at one end, and swarm
ing with dirty children quarreling over
their play, daunted her for the moment.
Even the cabman, drawing up the
entrance Sto the street, expressed his
opinion thst it was queer sort of place
for young lady to venture into alone.
Stella thought of Romayn. Her, firm
persuasion that she was helping him to
perform an act of mercy, which was Ito
his mind) an net of atonement as we'll,
reused her courage. She boldly ap-
preached the open door of No. 10, and
knocked on it with her parasol. f.
The tangled gray hair and grimy face
Of hideous old woman showed them
selves slowly, at the end of the passage,
rising from the strong smelling obscur-
ity of the kitchen regions.
"What do you want?" said the half
seen witch of the London slums.
"Does Madam Marillac live here~
Stella asked. 'ail 's. q
EDO you mean the foreignerY
eyes" Ell 81
"Second floor" With those instruc-
tions, the upper half of the witch sank
and vanished.
Stella gathered her skirts together,
and ascended filthy fight stairs fcR
the first time in her life. u
Coarse voices, shameless language,
gross laughter behind the closed doors
of the first floor hurried her on her way
to the rooms on the higher flight Here
there was change for the better--here,
at least, there was silence. She hocked
at the door on the landing of the second
floor. A gentle voice answered, in
French, "Entrez;" then quickly sub
stituted the English equivalent, "Come
in." Stella opened the door.
The wretchedly furnished room was
scrupulously clean. Two women, in
dresses of coarse black stuff, sat at
small, round table, working at the same
piece of embroidery. The elder of the
two rose when the visitor entered the
room. Her worn and weary face still
showed the remains Of beauty, in its
finely-proportioned parts-her dim eyes
rested on Stella with an expression Of
piteous entreaty.
"Have you come for the work,
madam ?" she asked, in English, spoken
with strong foreign accent. Pray
forgive me I have not finished it yet"
The second of the two workwomen
suddenly looked up. Us .se
She, too, was wan and fiail; but her
eyes were bright; her movements still
preserved the elasticity of youth. Her
likeness to the elder woman proclaimed
their relationship even before sha
spoke.
"Ahl it's my fault" she burst out
passionately in French. "I was hungry
and tired, and I slept longer than I
ought. My mother was too kind to-
wake mo and set me to work. 1 am q
selfish wretch, and my mother is an
ANGEL" She dashed away tho tears
gathering in her eyes, and proudly,
fercely, resumed her work.
Stella hastened to reassure them the
moment she could make herself heard.
"Indeed, I have nothing to do with
the work." she said, speaking in French,
SO that they might the more readily un-
derstand her. "I came here, Madame
Marillac--if you will not be offended
with me for plainly owning ito offer
you some little help"
"Charitys" asked the daughter, look
ing up again sternly from her needle.
"Sympathy," Stella answered, &c
The girl resumed her work. .ntly
your pardon" she said; ST - beg
to submit to my lot in IT, shall learr
The quiet, long me'
placed chair for ,'snlferlng mother
kind, beautifr' stella. You have Q
"and I am L face Miss" she said,
ances fc sure you will make allow
the t. n my poor girl. I remember
sb, me when I was as quick to feel as
q o is. May I ask how you came to hear
Of us?" eio e
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