The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1894-02-09


that she was wondering if Mother St
, Gertrude's love for her hadn IT conjure6
before her vision lineage which the
girl could not claim. 1t could be seen,
: too, that Isabel was doubling whethe,
Laurence would remain unchanged by
the story.
"Mr. Leland said he was going west. u
The nun added, Isabel was an infant.
Her mother had died a few weeks be-
fore her father brought her to us. He
would not trust the child, he said, to
other hands. Mr.. Leland left few
hundred dollars with Mother Xavier,
then in charge of this institution, tell
ing her she would hear from him fire.
quently. We got one letter from Den
yer inclosing a money order. Since
then not a line has reached us. I can
not understand it, for his parting from
the child was most affecting"
GLOW long since he wrote iast?"
asked Laurence, his newspaper tuition
involuntarily suggesting the query.
"About IS years. His letter we have
still"
"Did he talk of his plans or purpose,
or give any clew that could be follow
ed?''
mo. take it" said the nun, "that
he was not a man who cared to discuss
his personal affairs with anybody. His
letter was very brief"
"Did he write of Isabel?"
"No."
"Nor of her brother?"
"Not word"
"Have you ever tried to locate him?"
"We had no way to, without going
into print. That we disliked. A few
years ago, however, when we felt it
was time to make known to Isabel ev-
erything, we freely gave her permission
to use whatever means she herself
would choose, after counsel with us, to
get information Of her father. Our re-
sources We're offered to her. She pro-
poses, or did propose before she and you
became such good friends" and the
nun smiled as the two blushed-'' that
she would 60 out to the convent of our
order in Denver and from that point
make her inquiries.
"What do you think of the plan?"
queried Isabel, addressing Mangan. |
"Not a bad one. But one used to
the tranquility of convent is hardly
qualified to put it into execution
"Thats reflection on my SEX" re-
piled Isabel impetuously. "Have you
forgotten history? From the days of
Deborah and Judith down to the pres
ent, whenever great deeds demand ac-
complishment, the women of peaceful
hours and restful habits have been call
ed upon to bear the brunt of battle, not
the men and women reared in biting
atmosphere and Injured to hardship.
My sex would not be against me, nor
would my training be-"
''Ask her, Laurence, if she will 60 to
Denver now," jokingly suggested the
sister, "since she has been SO severe
upon YOU"
"Not unless 60 with her." answer
ID Mangan. "1'm lucky that she didn't
20 there before l fell in-in''--
Sin love with her, suggested Mother
st. Gertrude, ere he recovered from his
well that, if you please to have it ]
o. But was thinking of other words.
"That would mean the same!''
ego ahead, mother; don't spare me.
You are teasing Isabel as we'll as me-
Isabel didn't appear as indifferent as
to the raillery of the mother
uperior. Each sally heightened the /
armine of her cheeks and added to her E
For want of aught /
lse to say or do, she again turned to s
er lover: a
What would you do under the cir L
umstances!" o
II know what I'm glad You didn't
o." 4
And that is:''
THAT you didn't go to Denver y Il
"Why?" INTERCEPTED Mother St. 81
Gertrude. a
Because she might have been disap- a
ointed and in despair drift into anoth-
+ mood-one that might ultimately G
ave enveloped her with the veil of the :.
isterhood. Sometimes, sister, I'm "
traid that you'll yet steal her from b
ne.
There are reasons why you should !.
ave no fear" said Mother St. Gertrude, v
milling. First, our order is unusual L
y strict in regard to its postulants. Il
low, the acceptance of Isabel could
Urn out to be a great sorrow to us and
disappointment to her. A few years 3
ence her father may return from tho
Test with one Of those immense for
mes people make there almost in q
sy, 10y some accidental stroke. lie I,
1ould coms here and find his daughter s.
nun. Yearning for affection from his I
hid, he would rush into print. and 81
that a story You newspaper men would a
,eave around these Incidents! Yes, il
on would actually say that we had A
oerced Isabel into taking the vows Ii
nd veil Of our community. and that
70 had conspired to get control Of her al
'ealth, if 1t came to pass that such IL
'onld be hers by inheritance. b
''It may not be right for me to say
!, mother" said Laurence in half C;
way. "But l would help N
i'm to get her out from behind these b
alls if ! knew, as / now do, how s.
'vely she was" il
"Stop, Laurence, pleaded Isabel. st
81 don't mind him, child" said Sc
Lother St. Gertrude. Laurence has ~
zen friend TO this institution. He lie
rs been tine one newspaper man who W
Is pictured the work of our convent, th