The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-07-05
"Did he speak to yoa?"

/ give these questions ana answers
verbatim, to show-what l believed
then, and believe now, that. so far as |
| questioned, Zillah answered me truth
| fully. l should be sorry to think that
either at that time or any other she had
told me willful lie.
But this adventure left an uncomiort-
able sensation on my mind-not from
| any doubt of Zillah herself, for she APP
peared still too much of child, and 100
| awkward and unattractlve, n me 10
| fear her engaging in love-aifalrs, clan-
destiDe or otherwise, for some time to
| come. Nevertheless after this evening,
l always contriyed that we should take
our twilight strOlls in company, and
that should never lose sight of her Tor
more than few minutes together. ct
even with this precaution | proved to be
very simple and short-sighted govern
ess after all
We had been at Hollywood a whole
month, and began to wonder when we
should return home, as Zlllah was quite
we'll, indeed more blooming than had
self visible once or twice, at rare inter-
walls; he had always business in Dub
lin" or country visits to pay" His
son acted as regent in his absence-l
always supposed by his desire; never
theless often noticed that these two
lights Of the family never shOne tOgeth-
er, and the father expected arrival was
the signal of Mr.. Augustus non-ap-
pearance for some days. Nor did the
girls ever allude to their brother. |
thought family quarrels might perhaps
have lessOned them in this. and so was
not surprised.
1t was certainly relief to all when
the head Of the family again departed.
We usually kept his letters for him, he
not being very anxious about them; for
which indifference, as afterward COM
pretended, he might have good reasons.
Once there came a letter. knew from
whOm-marked in the corner, IF alb
sent to be opened by Miss Pryor. y
Greatly surprised was to find 1t con-
taineda bank-note, apparently hurried
ly inclosed, with this brief line:
"If Zillah requires more let me know
at once. She must have every luxury
needful for her health. a. >.
The initials certainly meant his name
Andrew Sutherland--nOr could | be
mistaken in the hand. Yet it seemed
very odd, as l had no idea that he held
over her more than nominal guardian
ship, lust undertaken out of charity to
the orphan, and from his having slight
ly known her father. At least so Mr..
lie Poer told me- The only solution |
could find for his sending Zillah the
money was the simple one of its being
a gift, springing from the generosity Of
heart whose goodness | knew but too
we'll
However, to be quite sure, called
Caroline into counsel; thinking, silly as
she was, she might know something OF
the matter But she only Uttered, look
ed mysteriously important, and would
speak clearly on no point. except that
we had perfectright to use the money
pa always did; and that she wanted a
new bonnet very badly indeed.
A day or two after, Mr.. lie Poer, re-
turning Unexpectedly, took the note in
to his own possession, saying, smiling
", THAT it was all right" and l heard
no more.
But IL had not been the very sim
plest woman in the world should GER
tainly have suspected that things were
not ''all right" Nevertheless, do not
now wonder at my blindness. How
could think otherwise than well of
man whom innOcently supposed to be
a friend of Mr.. Sutherland2
SO matters went on at Hollywood for
a little time longer.
"Zillah, my dear, do not look so dis
appointed. There is no help for it
Your uncle told me before he left us
that we must 60 home next week"
So said l one day trying to say it
gently, and not marveling that the girl
was unhappy at the near prospect OF
returning to her old miserable life. 1t
was a future so bitter that l almost
blamed myself for not having urged our
longer stay. Still human nature is
weak and | did so thirst for home-my
own home. But it was hard that my
pleasure should be the poor child's
pain.
Don't cry, my love-" l went on, see
ing her eyes brimming, and the color
coming and going in her face:-strange
changes which latterly, on the most
tri1ing occasions, had disturbed the APP
parent stOlidity of her countenance.-
'Don't be unhappy; things may be
smoother now. and am sure your cOus-
ms behave better and kinder to you
than they did; even the lieutenant is
very civil toyou."
Asparkle, which was either pleasure
OF pTlut, IdSItu lIOll tue Plil tytos
and then they dropped, unable to meet
mine.
"Be content, dear child; all may be
happier for you than you expect. You
must write to me regularly-you can
write pretty well now, you know; you
must tell me all that happens to you,
and remember that III everything you
can trust me entirely"
Here | was astOnished by Zillah's
casting herself at my knees as | sat,
and bursting into storm of tears.
Anxiously asked her what was the
matter.
''Nothing-everythng! am so hap
py-s0 wretched! All! what must l
dor"
These words bubbed up brokenly
from her lips, but just at that unlucky
moment her three cousins came in. She
sprang up like frightened deer, and
was off to her own room. did not see
her again all the afternoon. for Lieu
tenant Augustus kept me in the parlor
on one excuse or another until | was
heartily vexed at him and myself.
When | went upstairs to put on my
bonnet-we were all going to walk that
evening-Zillah slipped away almost as
soon as appeared. l noticed that she