Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-03-08

which ! am afraid, as have not been study |
ing it SO long as the other subjects, and |
much depends on my getting through at
all. So having accidentally heard to night |
where you were staying, it suddenly occur
red TO me TO come to you and ask this ia |
vor. ~
Mr. Calvert remained for some time gaz-
ing at her in astonshment. 1t took him a |
little while to rightly comprehend her |
meaning. At length he said
as it possible that you fully realize the |
nature Of the request you are making :"
81 know it is very wrong, acknowledged |
Mary, but so much depends-Then, Mr.. |
Calvert, you know YOU have promised she
added quickly in an agitated tone.
81 will not break my word TO you but
shall do as YOU request, said Mr., Calvert
in a constrained voice.
Thank you so much, - and ere he had
| time to say anything more she had hidden
! him good bye, touched his hand, and hur-
redly left the room
CHAPTER III.
When he found himself again alone Mr.
/ Calvert sat down 10 collect his thoughts
which were slightly confused by the unex
pected events which had just occurred
The suddenness and strangeness Of the in
terview would Of themselves have been
sufficient TO disconcert Mr.. Calvert, but it
was the nature of the promise he had made
which was disturbing him most
When the first stage Of his bewiderment
had passed by it would be hard to say
whether he was more surprised at Miss Fa-
Der for having made the request or at him
self for having granted it. Although re
Election did not place his promise in more
favorable light, he did not purpose to re
tract it, He was conscious of having for
L. 4 -. g
candor, and he was determined not again
10 give her cause TO doubt his faith.
1t is true that he was now contemplating
the deliberate neglect Of his duties as ex-
aminer vet he did not consider his con
duct by any means so culpahle as it might
have been in certain other circumstance
in the schools at Oxford, for example, had
any partality been possible there. Togive
a member of an institution for young la
dies certificate Of proficiency in the Lat
in language was, Mr.. Calvert told himself,
a very different thing from favorng a
young man at "A university examination,
and, to do linn Justice, he would have been
incapable of displaying any uniairness at
an oxford competition In the present case
notwithstanding his casuistry he was Sc
we're enough in his condemnation. He had
fallen greatly in his own esteem, but the
sense of his own delinquency was trivial
compared with the pain he felt ON account
Of Mary Fabers perverted notions of rec
titude When he had first seen her that
night her quaint dress, troubled looks, and
supplcating voice had all touched his heart.
and 1t seemed as though his love. which for
a while had been latent. had suddenly grown
stronger than ever But. seeing that her
SENSE Of honor was SO weak, he told him
self that she could never be anything more
to him, even if circumstances, which were
now adverse to their union. were unexpect-
edly To- become favorable. 1t was with a
sinking heart that Mr. Calvert told himself
that he could never respect or trust one
who had contrived a deception and had in
cited him to become the partner Of her
guilt When he had fulfilled his promise
he resolved to forget her.
Next day Mr.. Calvert entered upon his
duties rs examiner at St Margarets >. There
were nearly a hundred candidates who took
up Latin. He put the written papers which
were handed TO him in bag and returned
with them to Oxford. The first papers to
be opened by him were those which bore
the name Mary Faber.' The very sight
of the neat handwriting was sufficient to
! send thrill through the heart of the ex-
aminer He did not need to read much in
! order to see that she had done very badly,
so he decided not to torture his conscience
further, and without reading any more he
placed to her credit the minimum number
of marks necessary for passing. He then
tied up Mary's papers carefully, and hav-
ing laid them in his desk he proceeded to
discharge his duties TO the best Of his abili-
ty.
o Abouta week after he had sent in his re
5 ports he received a printed list containing
5 the names of those candidates who had
n passed in not less than five subjects, and
- who were, therefore, entitled to honOrs.
j. He scanned the list eagerly because, not
l. withstandmg Mary's ignorance of Latin,
+ he remembered how clever and well read
she was, and thought it not impossible that
e he should see her name. He began about
s the middle of the list and read duwnwards
r but he did not find that which he sought
y Ii was almost with feeling Of satisfaction
II that he noticed the absence of her name
IS as he was thus relieved from the selfre-
l. proach Of having aided her unfairly to at
r, tain place of distinction When h,
/ reached the end of the list Mr.. Calvert be
N gan to read upward from the point a
Ir which he had started. At last, when h'
reached the top, he breathed sigh of re
a lief but this was quickly followed by
K startled exclamation of surprise and con
le sternation, for there, standing apart frou
the first student of her year and the win
IL ner Of the Brackenhury scholarship of
4 hundred guineas which had been present
rb ed to St Margaret's by well known man
ld ufacturer Then Mr. Calvert read in tn
ne remarks appended To the list that the stu
he dent who had gained the valuable prize
e. though she had barely succeeded to pass il
n Latin, had been first IN mathematics, frs
a in English, first in French. and third i
II German
Mr. Calvert's hand trembed slightly a
r. he laid down the paper and his pale fac
ot wore an expression of pain He was har
assed 10y conflicting emotions as love an
an his admiration of the girls talents alterna
ed with detestation of the deceit in whic
ID he had shared In any circumstances h
Nv told himself it was bad enough to hav
ng given her an undeserved certificate of pre-
lie iiriency, but to have enabled her unialrl
to carry off this valuable prize from tt
r, other competitors seemed almost like felon.
mt even though he had unWittingly brougl
he about this grave result.
Ill If he had trifed with Miss Fabers atie
'sk tiOns when he met her at Eastbourne, Il
lr- remorse he was now enduring was almo
sufficient punishment If he could hay
ion acknowledged his own fault without b
-rv traviug her confidence he would have don
so. but this was impossible So it only r
mi manned for him to forget her and TO avo
in the future any conduct which might pr
his duce such regretabe consequences.
ON CHAPTER ".
AK 1t was chiefly owing to the solicitatio
tie of his friends that Mr.. Calvert few mont
the later became IA candidate for the headma
me tership of the great public school of Ca
oubury Mr. Calvert had been educated
Aeu Canonbury where he was the first of
year, and subsequently, 10y his brilliant {
ely reer at oxford, he had conferred addltio
as al renown upon the old school. lie was
'an so known to he skillful teacher and
possess rare powers Of organization.
this was, of course to his advantage; bl
My ON the other hand, his youthfulness seem
hat to initiate against his chances of succe
girl Many, however. who were well qualified
lry. Judge, believed that he would be the 81
her cessful candidate as it was understood u
fail the the electors were anxious, II possl
/ to appoint young man who would dew
had the best years of his life 10 the work, IA
ssen who, having a proper SENSE of the wild
ker ing scope of modern studies, would be fl
look from old fashioned prejudices.
was The master of josephs college, Oxfo
erv- was in virtue of his Office one of
governors Of Canonbury school. VIII
It in therefore, Mr. Calvert one morning rect
II ed a note requesting him to call ON this el
any tor, he knew that he must be one of tn
whose appointment was being contemp
ckly ed and that the master of Joseph's
been deputed to ascertain his views on {
tain points, or to obtain some pledge tr
stint him regarding his policy should the ch,
2 for fall upon him.
ding Nor was Mr. Calvert mistaken, Afte
cad few commonplace observations the ma
Cal of Josephs said TO him