The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-06-29

| III HIS agitation MI. calvert ilaQ risen,
and was pacing up and down.
at is bad, very bad, . he observed after
little, as if in soliloquy.
At this moment the rector and colonel
entered the room, so that the conference
was stopped A few seconds later the
hostess also came into the room and en-
gagged in conversation with Mary until the
colonel said they must go, which was soon
afterward.
CHAPTER vi.
On returning to his room Mr. Calvert
sat down TO ponder over the events of the
evening He had never before been so
convinced of the fact that he loved Mary
Faber, but he felt as confident as ever that
he ought not to ask her to be his wife.
He had given up his rooms in Merton,
and most of his belongings had been sent
to his future residence, but he had with
him, in addition to the usual travelling lug
gage, small box which contained some
books and papers Among these were the
papers which Mary Faber had handedin at
the examination, and which had lain un-
disturbed ever since the time when he had
tied them up, after glancing at them and
seeing how bad they WERE He remem-
bered noticing them when he was packing
the box, and he now felt prompted by a
sudden desire to read them through, and
so discover the extent to which he had
been culpable He forthwith unlocked the
box, and taking out the little roll, he placed
his candle in convenient position on his
dressing table and sat down to read Mary's
papers Soon his brow contracted, for the
errors were numerous, and the conviction
was forced upon him that she had failed
badly But as he went on his expression
gradually became less gloomy, till at last
the cloud almost passed from his face.
The mistakes had become less frequent,
and it was clear that at first the writer had
been nervous and excited. Still the papers
were far from being good, and when he
reached the end Mr.. Calvert was in some
doubt whether, according to the standard
that had been fixed for the examination,
she would have passed or not In some
excitement he took pencil and began to
read again, assigning the just marks as he
went on. Then, breathing quickly, he
added up the results, and found that she
had actually passed, though only by few
marks. He gave sigh of relief, and with
a radiant look he laid the papers down.
The consciousness that after all no inius-
tice had been done gave him a feeling of
intense satisfaction. There was naturally
a reaction from his former unhappiness,
and he was greatly elated He was now
ready to excuse Mary entirely for her in
discreet conduct, which he knew was due
solely 10 her anxiety about her father as
she had said. Then, poor girl, she had
actually held better opinion about him
self than he deserved, believing him in
capable of failing in the discharge of duty.
"God bless her!" calculated Mr.. Calvert.
How quickly time had passed while he sat
pondering over the past and the future! 1t
was only little after 0 when he entered his
room, and on looking at his watch he found
it was l o'clock. But sleep was out of
the question. After his candle had burned
out he drew up his blind, for the darkness
was fast disappearing He looked out and
watched the widening dawn Of the day
which he knew must prove the most mo-
mentous of his life. It happens to few
men of Mr. Calvert's age to achieve the
honors and success that had fallen to his
lot; but at the present moment he felt that
there was no event in his past life but was
insignificant when compared with the crisis
which was at hand and which was filling
him with JOY and fear.
When Mr. Calvert went out of the
house in the morning no one was up, and
although he walked in the direction in
which Colonel Faber had told him he lived
he did not intend to disturb him at that
early hour He purposed walking past the
house into the country, and to call on his
return. But rs he drew near the little
cottage he noticed Mary in the garden, and
without hesitation he opened the gate and
went toward her. As he drew near her he
was startled by the paleness of her face,
and it was easy for him to see that, like
himself, she had not slept. Her look was
so sad that if she felt any surprise or pleas
ure at his appearance it was not manifested
in her face. Mr. Calvert felt so much dis
treSs at her sorrowful face that after he had
taken her hand and hidden her good morn
ing he stood silently looking at her. 1t
was Mary who spoke first
Ever since We parted last night" she
said, Il have been thinking of what you
told me, and | have resolved that so far as
lies in my power | shall make reparation
for the wrong that l caused to be done |
intend to give back the money of the schol-
arship. / have not got so much; but by
selling all We possess think | shall be able
to make up the sum, and know that my
father will support me in trying to do what
is right. shall also resign my situation,
which | obtained owing to the result of the
examination, for will not continue longer
to be an impostor.
Il am come, replied Mr.. Calvert, "to
tell you that no injustice has been done.
For the first time last night | read over
your papers and found that, had l done
my duty as examiner, as you believed |
would, must certainly have included your
name among the successful candidates on
your own merits She looked at him
without speaking, for her trembling lips
were incapable of forming words; but he
could see by her trustful eyes that she did
not doubt the truth of what he told her.
"We shall go over the papers together
continued Mr. Calvert, sand you will see
that you underestimated your knowledge,
as think had you been less nervous while
you wrote them you could have done much
better. But though you were undoubted-
ly entitled to your distinguished place in
the class list, it is nevertheless true thal
you caused me to err grievously, and I
think you owe me some reparation.
She did not speak, but continued to gaze
at him mutely.
81 have not divulged to any one till now"
said Mr.. Calvert, ''the fact that 1 received
my recent appointment on the understand
ing that | should marry. You are the only
person in the world who can help me to
follow out my career, because since seeing
you last night | have resovled that if you
refuse to become my wife 1 must resign
the post"
Mary's pent-up feelings had found vent
at last, for with her head leaning upon his
breast she was sobbing convulsiyely.
The boys of Canonbury have tradition
which will be religiously handed down to
each successive generation, and which owes