Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-01-20

| 10 IOn Jnat concerned herSelfP
Tom tore the letter open. Then his
cheeks blazed a rosy red, signifying as
constituent first and joy next, aud aston
| ishment last
"Sbyl p he cried. did you know of the
letter. Read thread it, ooh, sir" he
turned to Mr.. Brudenel, "how can we
thank you' Lady Augusta, is 1t to you
that we owe this letter ?"
"To me? Tom | do not know the con-
tents of the letter.
"Mr. Brudenel gives his consent-a
thing which we did not Care ask of him
to our engagement" Here he very prop
erly took Sibyls hand and kissed her on
the forehead.
"Your engagement, Sibyl ?" cried Lady
Augusta. why, thought we all thought
that the celibate life-and with Tom
This amGZes me ~
81 have consented, dear" her husband
explained. ut was shown to me that ST.
byl was more fitted for the domestic than
for the meditative life. | nave consented,
since they both desire it, But Tom, il you
are a couple of paupers-if the principles
of the Higher Philosophy are to be carried
out"
ooh, papa" Sibyl threw herself upon
we have love? And Tom will work and
become a great man. And-and-. oh -
she was seized with q sudden suspicion
tell me. You did not write that letter
without knowing it, did you ~
mo, child, no. | remember perfectly
why wrote that letter and when. | wrote
it in full knowledge. 1t was explained to
me that everything was changed. The
whole Of my previous knowledge-so called
was vanity, my idea of approaching and
commanding the spirits by the help of a
VeStal, as was practiced by the ancients,
had to be abandoned as far as you are con
cerned, my dear. | was made TO under
stand that you had already formed an
earthly attachment which would be an
etfectual bar | consented, my dear, to
your taking place upon the Lower
Planes
yes" said sibyI meekly, I'VE shall be
much happier on the Lower Planes.'
Again Paul, who had retired up the
stage" stepped forward.
you are afraid, Mr. Brudenel, that you
will be stripped of your possessions. That
is not SO. Our Friends are not cruel. If
you had been young, like myself, you
might have had 10 give up all. Fear no
thing. You will not be called upon to EN-
brace poverty. 1t is quite true that, un-
der all circumstances, the pursuit of
riches is contemplate and detestable it
corrupts the soul and destroys the devel
opment of spiritual insight; if you had
been engaged in the pursuit of wealth you
would have had to cease. But you have
never sought for money; it has been con
ferred upon you: your possession OF
wealth has enabled you to devote your
time to Research. A man like you must
not become poor"
"He must not, Paul. He must not"
"Your apprehensons were natural.
HencefOrth have no fear"
He paused and sighed.
II am 10th to part with my Message"
he said, because to part with it is to sur
render my past life. That you do not un.
derstand. However" he sighed again, 81
no 70 4 oil ~ oh
Brudenel, here is another packet for you
it contains your fortune. And for yen,
Cicely, is another, containing yours. And
for you, Tom, an envelope containing
yours. Do not invest your money in com
mercial companies, and do not seek to
make more money. You do not believe in
my Friends, Tom yet they send you good
counsel. Cease merely to question Science.
Prosecute her continually, and never, new
er try to make your knowledge the means
of making money"
Tom tore open his envelope. There was
in it a cheque for fifteen thousand pounds
signed by lzak Ibn Menelek, payable to
order, crossed and protected by the magic
word "Not Negotiable" Clearly, the
Sage of Abyssinia understood the forms
and customs practiSed in London banks.
Lady Augusta" sad Paul. My
Friends you see, have not deserted you"
"Oh said, all along" murmered Cice
ly, that we needed nothing but Faith.
knew that we should not be deserted
WAS it probable" Paul asked, that
those who were wise enough TO foretell
the fall of the Company, and thoughtful
enough not only to cause the shares to be
sold out, but the proceeds to be lodged in
a place of safety so that they would not be
in any other dangerous concerns
i say, was it probable that these people
should not restore this money on the day
that it should fall due to the righttul own
ers ~
At this point Mr.. 8rudenel arose and
took paul's hand and held it while he pro-
nounced over his head, being several inch
es taller, an emconium upon the Ancient
Wisdom. You have seen how, on previ-
Gus occasion, he congratulated all the be-
holders Of IA certain Miracle upon stand
ing on the Solid Rock. This little occa-
sion was to himself aud to his household
of much greater Importance. He rose TO
the calls of the situation. In short, but
most eloquent Grafton, he thanked Paul
tor the blessings he had brought
to that household, for his own deliverance
from SUPERSTITION, for the Solid Rock of
certainty which he had substituted for
doubt for the preservation of his wards
and his daughters fortunes in the wreck
of the bankrupt Company, and, lastly, for |
the assurance that he himself would not
be required to carry out to their logical |
end the principles of the Ancient Way, as |
regards the foolshness of riches
Tom was behind, holding Sibyl by the |
hand. The pair stood with downcast eyes |
and glowing cheeks, Goals of fire heaped |
upon their heads caused the cheeks of
these lovers to glow The enemy had done
this, the enemy; the man whom one of
the two had persistently snubbed, insult.
ed wrongly, and uniustly suspected. He |
had saved her fortune and Toms fortune
he had caused her father to write with |
his own hand letter of consent to their |
engagement before it had been demanded |
Once she raised her eyes and looked in |
quiringly at Tom. He understood her |
and whispered-it was when Mr.. Bruden- |
ell was graphing with the most difficult |
and the most grateful periods
'Dodo," he replied. Never. Not even |
if find him making your father go on all |
fours" We may guess what he meant, |
hut there can be no certainty. Perhaps he |
explained to her i'll these words his inten-
tion not to expose certain little facts con-
nected with Paul which might lead them
selves to unfavorsble conclusions, and |
turn that Solid Rock once more-oh how
often had that change happened Into |
yielding quicksands,
Paul" said Lady Augusta, when her
husband had finished f'mV 1aar Da,,I