Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1882-07-13

ever, no answer 10 my gentle KNOCK; IL
had not been heard. did no. knock a
second time, assuming the room WIS
empty. but opened the door and stepped
in. Not little surprised WAS AT
what saw. Here were Father Jacques
and Theophile by themselves. They
were both seated. He had hold of hen
left hand, and, bending forward from
his seat, was looking up in Theophile's
face, addressing her with the utmost
en1pressement, while Theophile, with
her face averted and her right hand
shading, as it were, her eyes, was evil
IDENTIFY profoundly affected by what the
priest was saying to her, looking down
upon the floor, silent. l, of course,
apologized for this intrusion, and at
once withdrew, and few minutes after,
l heard Father Jacques's footsteps on
the stairs, and from the window, | saw
him walk away.
is Theophile not comingT again
asked my mother.
No, think not, this afternoon l
felt strongly inclined to let my mother
know what | had just witnessed up
stairs; but some indescribable feeling
restrained me from doing so. She,
however, seemed TO suspect something,
probably from my manner, and she
added, q hope nothing has gone
wrong: / mean that there has been no
little tiff between Theophile and you.
oh, dear nor l replied. we could
not be better friends | thought it just
to add that had found Theophile and
Father jacques together.
'Alone?'
Yes; alone My mother said moth
ing, but could see the circumstance
set her Il thinking. So it did me.
was puzzled, and something more, at
what l had witnessed. What could
Pere Jacques have been saying to The
ophile? Could it be upon religious
matters that this priest-Odious fellow,
as l thou yh him-was lecturing her 2
Could it have anything to do with the
con fessionalp Then, too, what bust
ness had he TO be holding her hand 7
How l longed to see the grill But,
then, would the mystery be cleared up
by her when | did?
Woodworking, TheOphile! We miss
ed you In our walk, yesterday were
my first words to her the next day, as
l entered the same room where l had
now heard her playing overhead.
'Ah. good-morning; So glad to see
your she replied, coloring just little,
but manifesting no confusion as she
did So You had a nice walk, l dare
say. The day was charmingP
Il am afraid you must have thought
me very ill-mannered yesterday. The
ophile. in entering your room. But,
do you know, knocked as usual
Did you knockp did not hear you.
But it did not signify
Il do not think Pere Jacques would
have said it did not signify, Theophilei
L do not like that Pere jacques
You do not like him? Have you,
then, any reason for disliking him ?
He dislikes me. | can see it. AT
this remark Theophile seemed rather en-
barrassed, and after a moments pause
l summoned up courage to add: But
see he likes YOU
Theophile blushed; but, recovering
herself quickly, she replied: so you
have noticed that also, have you
Well, perhaps you are right. But tell
me why you think he does not like
you
'Ohl his manner shows it. You
know his aversion to me. | wish you
would tell me why he dislikes me so.
don't think he likes your being so much
with as Il did not like to say, with
me). Il am afraid have let him see
that am
That you are what? You must tel
me-
Must L? Well, so fond of you
Here was my first confession. had
long wanted to make it in some form
or other. Theophile had not given me
the opportunity. / recollect, as if il
had been but yesterday, how my voice
shook as | disclosed what in all SINGER
ity felt toward her, and my cheeE
turned crimson.
Theophile colored too, deeply, OF
hearing this tender disclosure, and re
piled:
Really! l cannot think what you
have found in me that you should like
me so. / am sure / ought to feel yer.
happy
What would have delighted me Il
hear was some corresponding confes
sion on her part; just word, to lie
me see the feeling was mutual. But i
came not, though / waited. However
| resumed:
'TheOphile, answer me. Am | no
right? Does not Pere Jacques thinl
me very fond of you, and does he no
dislike me on that accountT
Not altogether. He has anothe
reason, something like what you sus
pectl What can you mean? Do tel
me-
Il cannot. Not just now, at my rate
Perhaps, though, may at some ethe
time
l did not press it, but the feeling,
suppose, that in this Father Jacques
had sort of rival and a decided FOE
led me TO return to the charge:
Father Jacques is very often at you
house, Theophile; what does he call s