The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-03
MISS PRISCILLA.



sobs increased.
II am very sorry she murmured heart
brokenly. IF had known you would have
cared so much, should not have dared to
do it."
AS IL my caring matteredl" he sail TO
himself VITA dependent amazement "Why,
you poor foolish creature, what can IL mat.
ter TO me except for your sakel But to
think that you have beggared yourself
literally, actually beggared yourself, and at
your age. toal"
lam only little over 40" Miss Priscilla
ventured with meek protest
"But 40, and penniless and incapable of
anything"
Miss Priscilla made a family rebelious
movement
IL mean to teach, she said, with waver-
ing confidence.
times. Nowadays girls learn astronomy.
and chemistry and Greek, ma'am-Greekl"
Miss Priscilla sobbed again.
sand for young scapegrace who never
was worth his salt And all that money in
0per cents, too! On, l have no patience
with il ALL"
Miss Priscilla rubbed her eyes, and looked
up at him pitifully.
would you have had me let him go to
prisonr she asked
Il would" Mr.. Hornby closed his mouth
determincdly as he spoke @In this world
whose sins should bear the punishment"
"He was Letty's son." Miss Priscilla said,
sand Lefty wes more to me than ever sister
was before. How could let him be ruined,
Just that l might fare sumptuously and live
at ease!s
"Of course you felt that" the rector adj
mitted, reluctantly; ~but, all the same, he
was a criminal, and as such had a right to
bear his own punishment
Miss Priscilla rose to go.
III the Deity you preach were as mercfless
as you are, it had been 3ad thing for the
world" she said. Il told you his SIM poor
boy, because L wished to have nothing secret
from you, for the sake of your old friend
ship, and you only tadnt me with it. Oh.
you are very cruelT
He ps:. ont his Land to stop her.
"You must forgive me if 1 have spoken
harshly," he said. IL am only harsh because
feel so much What do you mean to do9
This Is a hard world for women who are
penniless."
"The Lord takes care of fools and chill
dren," Miss Priscilla answered with break
In her voice
"Are you angry stillF He extended his
hand as ne spoke. And Miss Priscilla took
it, her heart softening.
"We have been friends always, and l
should not like us to quarrel now at the
last" rs he said
sAt the lastP he echoed, looking at her in
quiringly.
"Of course / must leave the village. One
does not live as l have done hitherto. on
nothing"
Nothing And is it as bad as thatln
Il have couple of hundred left and the
furniture" she answered, smiling at him
family.
"You have not told me how it came about
the necessity for your sacrifice, mean,"
he said:
Il do not know I'll the particulars, but 1
can guess. She shivered slightly as she
spoke. There was an extravaganza youth
and position of trust, and temptation and
a fall and ruin, unless a miracle inter-
posed"
~And you wrought the miraclel" Mr.
Horribly said, with a rather uncertain smile
quivering about his lips.
Il did all could to save him from the
consequences of his deed
"And was the-the deficit for a large
sum-
For 8, 700 pounds sterling Had it been
for much more, l should have been power
less.n
I'm your place, should not have inter
fered," Mr.. Horribly said, signing. @The
very magnitude of the offense shows hard
ened nature"
Miss Priscilla was weeping bitterly now.
at is too late TO think of that" she said
SThe thing is done and irrevocable. | did
not tell you before, lest you should try to
hinder me. he has gone abroad to make a
fresh start and to do well. trust and be-
heve He was Letty's SON."
sand you mean TO teachl' looking at her
pittifully.
lit is all can think of"
"But it is such hard life, and so difficult
TO find place in even, nowadays, without a
special training"
mo matter; l can only try my very best"
She held out her hand to him. "Good-bye,"
she said; don't fret about me; am more
hopeful than you are. | have good health
and all my wits about me, and I am ready
to , my best at anything that offers"
She shook hands with hun, the perturba-
ton in his eyes meeting the striving smile
in hers. and then she went out and down the
rectory lawn and through the little gate
that led into the village street
1t a beautiful sunshiny June day.
FRO hlI-top TO hll-top the light seemed
suspended in gossamer webs, and the slum-
berous peace that stretched over land and
sea was too perfect for common sounds to
break In Fairview village drowsy
quiet was paramount Even the roses
growing in front of rustic porti-
cos, swayed their languid heads
in the faint breezes somnolently. A few
children busted with dust-pies in the shadow
of he hnr1Ss.S led On B,-szo
passed. few ristics lettering in the thor
oughfare touch Vi their forelocks with slow
civility-
AID ths neighborhood knew Miss Priscilla,
and knowing her know all her history. She
had lived among them always She was
Squire Compton's only surviving child, and
she was reputed fabulously wealthy here,
where money was so rare. 1t did not mat
ter that Squire Compton had been held door