The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-28

The next day, the hole which had been
made through the ceiling could be
filled up, and the Keasbeys and Mikey
and the rest could vanish quietly from
the place.
Thus reasoned the child within her.
but the woman there laughed aloud at
such Stiffness. 1T would mean the
whole town awake and excited said
the wiser mentor. 1T would mean
twenty years IN prison. perhaps. for
your father and for Mikey.'
AS she lay upon her bed. clutchiny
the counterpane, and shuddering and
groaning aloud, her fathers kindness
to her through all her life passed like
a panorama before her. His old ten
derness and goodness blotted out for
moment all his sternness and all the
vices which had made her love him less
this summer.
1T is for my sake that he is risking
his life and his freedom tonight" she
wept. "Iie wants TO make n lady OF
me-"
II seemed as though real and sinewy
hands caught her heart between them
and compressed It until it nched. She
could hardly breathe. She rushed to
the window for air.
"AndsIikcy!" she ranted. ~ couldn't
give up Mikeyl I don't so mucn
mind the others. They are bad through
and through. But my father isn't.
Anyway. he has always been good to
me. And MilSey is good. That IS whet
r,y father meant when he sad that
Nil;ey hadn't any nerve. Mikey sail
he was going TO set into some sort OF
hrcgnlar' business. ! know now what
he meant. he knows that could never
bear TO have him doing things like this.
Tie understands me. If h. only gets
Glorg right tonight, he VIII turn over
new leaf and become an honest man
--and father. too"
Then she thorTht of the sisters az the
convent. and their pecceful. virtuous
lives " they had quarrels or troubles
they had reyer lct her know Il. She im7
agincd their dismay If they should
learn that her father was a burglar.
She thought. too OF Mrs. Coils Wood.
Her beautiful innocent face seemed 10
rise ont OF the shadows and confront
the girl only an arms length away. and
her eyes were brimming with reproach-
fui tcnrs
II loved yo,i. trusted you." the
sweet mouth seemed 20 say. "anl how
have you rewarded me? I did everv-
thing in my power for you. would
have done more II you would have let
me--and yet you have given over tho
one loved best 20 robbers-perhaps 20
rarrdcrerS. You have LEI thieves steal
nv property. nd thot C many other
blamelcss people. Is this rieht?"
On .he rnomcrt. the girl heard fut-
tcring IN the darkness. Black MS Il was.
she could dfiniy discern In n The shane
CO fhe ~rest white moth. which had
come TO her when she had sat with her
mother on the Kitchen steps. She had
Kept IL in her room and had fed il eve-
since. Now IL had flown aw ay. She had
never known one to fly away from hef
before. The superstition which hal
been bred in her by her seqnestered life
and BY the singular popularity which
marked her, awoke with passionats
fcrvor.
'Come backl" she cried, with q
shrek, which she instantly regretted.
for she feared that IL might have
awakened her mother--but the moth
had gone She could hear its great
wings beating the darkness just beyond
her reach.
II must do iil II is right" she mur.
INJURED over and over again. She ran
into fhe hall listened ~ her mothers
door. Mrs. Kcasbey was breathing
hard. ard had evidently heard moth
ing. Dorilla envicd her mother the
power 20 sleep a. such time. Thcn
She girl took OF her shoes. weeping bit
1erly. but with unfalteripg movements