Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-02-06
Continued.

ance. 1T is very easy to say so. And
OF course you ought to go away. My
house is not place for beggars. But
where are you to go? Where is your
father"
Il do not know"
"You must know. You must have
some idea. | believe it is all plot
to secure your education and mainten-
ance You could tell me if you chose,
Madeline Despard .
Indeed, | could not. Indeed, would
tell you if | could. I would go home
this moment if | knew where to go.
Indeed, Miss Joyce, | would"
She was trembling all over, she.
joined her hands nervously together
and looked up into Miss Joyce's stony
face with desperate appeal for pity and
belief; but Miss Joyces anger was not
appeased
"A very likely story. 1t is no use
trying to blind me. Your father is
thorough going cheat and rogue and
you know it. Don't interrupt me. You
are not probably aware that [ have
visited the town where Gen. Armstrong
resided and where you and your father
managed to make his acquaintance and
/ find that he left the place because
he was deeply involved in debt He
had not paid his bills, nor his rent;
he had simply decamped with his wife
and children, without leaving any adj
dress. OF course, you know of this?"
81 only knew he had gone away"
said Madeline, with quiVering lips. HE
sent me no address. My letter came
back to me from the postofice."
"A very disgraceful and scandalous
state of affairs. Well, no doubt, you
will hear from him in time. | shall
do my best to find him and when he
is found he had better take charge
of you again. Until then there is
nothing for it but to stay here"
Madeline's self-command deserted
her at this point. She burst into tears
and wrung her slender hands together.
ooh, no, no." she cried. 81 can't
stay here indeed, | can't not after all
this. | would rather go away. [ would
rather go to the workhouse or earn my
own living | cannot possibly stay"
"You are an exceedingly silly girl"
said Miss Joyce, severely, "and you
forget that | have duties toward you
and that, as a Christian woman, |
shall not neglect them. I am respOn-
sibe for you; | do not wish you to
, come to any harm. You will remain
here, of course until Easter. By that
time your father may have Commun-
icated with me and | shall know what
to do"
81 would rather go away. Couldn't
you let me go?" sobbed Madeline.
Don't be a little fool said Miss
Joyce, more angrily than she usually
permitted herself to speak. eff you
went away how would your father find
you? You would involve me in ad-
ditionaI trouble and expense, for, of
course, / should have to put the police
on your track and they would easily
hunt you down"-Miss Joyce knew the
value OF a judicious threat of this kind
land think what trouble and dis
grace that would be. No, stay where
you are for the present and we will
see what can be done. You might
perhaps try to make yourself useful
with the younger girls in the house or
do something to compensate in some
way for all the expense to which I
shall be put"
81 will do anything [ can" said
Madeline, catching her breath.
II hope you will. And I trust that
you will feel some gratitude toward
those who are so kind and so generous
toward you. Some people would have
turned you out to starve in the street,
would they not, Miss Welby?"
"Ah, yes, indeed. But you are too
kind, too good for that" sighed the
governess.
4 try to do my duty" said Miss
Joyce, with the air of a martyr, "even
in the most trying circumstances. You
can go, Madeline Despard. | trust that
you will prove yourself worthy of the
kindness that is lavished upon you"
Madeline retreated, feeling terribly
guilty in that she was conscious of
more resentment against Miss Joyce
than gratitude for her kindness. If
only Miss Joyce had spoken charitaby
the girls father, she could have
borne any harshness toward herself.
But Madeline's affections were very
keen and very strong. 1t was hard in
deed to ALLEVIATE her heart from those
she loved and even while she knew
that Oscar Despard had behaved abom-
inably she could not give up her cling
ing, filial love for him.
The course of her school life was
soon very much changed. Miss Joyce
wrote to Lady Esler, but Lady Esler
coldly refused to contribute one farth-
ing toward the support of a girl whom
shehad no reason, she declared, to re-
gard as a relation. Miss Joyce was
again startled by this revelation of
Lady Esler's opinion She had hither-
to taken Madeline's kinship to the Es-
ler's, through Gen. Armstrong, as
matter of course. But if even that
were doubtful why it was plain that
Madeline was imposter in every sense
of the word. She was a poor, little
nobody with scoundreI father and
she had to be fed and clothed on char
ity. Miss Joyce grew more majestic
than ever when she reflected that it
was on her charity that Madeline lived.
Gradually the girls pretty dresses
wore out and were replaced by others
of cheaper and cOarser material, she
no longer had pocket money or treats.
she was not allowed to take lessons