The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-07-15

1t was oOn satisfied. Jane entered
alone. She took a piece of work and
seated herself. saying but little to any
one for awhile.
When asked why her sister had not
away for a few weeks to pay a visit to
a friend.
'She has pretty well lost her inter-
est in the church work, and reason
enough, too"
Now" said Mr.. Fairchild, plunging
at once in medias res, II don't think
Matilda ought to feel just so, Jane. l
don't like changes, myself, and 1
thought we We're getting along well
enough when the old choir-but we
can't all view things alike, you know"
If they'd only got a good, respect
able girl, l wouldn't have said a word"
why, you don't know anything
against Miss Wayne, do you? Thought
She seemed a sweet, innocent little
thing as ever was, myself"
well. if you call a shopltter an inno-
cent little thing, I've no more to say"
"a what?" shuddered Mrs. Fairchild,
in q stitied, husky whisper, her very
amazement sitting her power to articu-
late audibly.
That's what she is" said Jane, nip
ping her lips together. II saw her in a
store in Boston one day last spring, as
plain as | see you now She was stand
ing right by me at the ribbon counter.
and she deliberately took up a roll of
pink ribbon and put it under her cape.
But the floor walker happened to be
close by, and saw what she had done,
and he took her by the arm and
marched her off"
Where TOP faltered Mrs. Fairchild,
in another frigh tened whisper.
Il can't tell you that never saw
her afterwards, until she walked into
church last Sunday. But l wouldn't
have her in my house, that's all"
Can it be. as George Eliot asserts,
with the terrible psychological analy-
sis, that there are moments when our
passions speak and decide for us. and
we seem to stand by and wonder?!"
Certain it was that to Jane Prescott
Il SOL1S OH ihopttdtiOA VI III
She had not premeditated this, but she
had given the demon within her the
heartiest welcome, and had hidden him
crush this young interloper by any
means in his power, and now she was
hurried along to this definite charge in
spite of herself. She was not cogni-
zant of much hat passed around her
the rest of hat afternoon. She was
one of the first to leave, and reached
her home dizzy and sick, and in a COM
plete palsy of terror.
The poisoned arrow did it's work. Be-
fore the evening of the next day the
charge against Edith Wayne was known
all over the village.
Squire Page himself, enthusiastic as
he had been in favor of the young sing
er, began to feel that perhaps he had
been too hasty in selecting a person of
whom he knew absolutely nothing.
The girl was charmingly modest in
manner, it was true, and seemed hon
est and sincere-but it was so easy for
imposters to assume such ways. He
had known Jane Prescott all his life
oo q lldhy llC u II WV oDCOplC
and the one thing that never once oc-
CURED to any of them vas to doubt this
woman's word.
Friday had come, the girl must be
notified; it would neve do to have her
come again among them.
1t was a cloudy day and nearing
dusk. Jane had been informed that
the squire intended going up to town
in the early evening, and for what pur-
pose.
He must pass her house on the way to
the station. Already had Jane Pres
| colt returned to her normal condition.
Already was she %repenting what she
and remorse she had never dreamed
could exist in the soul of mortal.
The day had been passed in utter
wretchedness and despair. A word
from her would undo this ENHANCEMENT;
and it must be said-it should be said,
but somehow she was not ready yet.
For what would her future be, after
this baseness to which she had been
tempted-what her position in the eyes
of those who constituted the little
world in which she had been born an6
reared?
Squire Page was hurrying to the sta
ton; for, as usual with him, he had
given himself barely time to reach il
before the train would arrive. So hi
did not see the white face at the parlol
window of Jane Prescott's house, anG
that the front door stood wide open
and he did not know that a wild-look
ing figure had darted out of the dool
and was calling to him, but with 6
voice hat could not raise itself enough
to be heard, as we try in a dream t.
shout and are controlled by a powel