Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-11-02
NoRA,s IEsr
Prom
Darkness
To Light

BY MARY CECIL HAY

frankly offered her right to the English
stranger. And then she gravely tied her
last knot, while she spoke to him.
rs Mr.. Foster 1t seems ~ strange to
call him mister; but, Of course, as Celia
did, l must---is he really a friend Of
yours? I'm so glad. Is he coming here
again soon? And how is he? I suppose
you've heard him preach. Does he say
anything wise in his sermons? He never
did when he was here. 1t was such q
comfort to see that, however hard Will
studied, he never knew anything"
why comfortw
Because l was longing and longing to
be taught and-and--it does persons good
to see that school makes no difference"
II See"
II don't" smiled Celia. 1--WE been ut
school for years, and | should have been
very idle IL | didn't know good deal
now"
There Is plenty of time, Miss vt.
George" said Mark Poynx, looking into
Nora's face. with a quizzical. question:
Ing gaze, even II you have wasted all
your seventeen years."
How do you know Norn's agef" de-
manded Celia, with the look Of surprise.
did you guessr"
Hardly" he replied, with great cool.
ness. II have heard 1t mentioned"
How funny" said Nora, lightly. But
she looked with little more curiosity
now at the tall stranger, whose face was
lined and rugged, and yet so pleasant to
look upon, and whose thick, dark hair
had countless silver streaks among It.
He had walked into the building now.
and appeared to be tracing Boraks anat.
Omy with interest; no Celia turned with q
whisper aside to Nora. You'll come 10
ngain, OF course, dearY I'll Introduce you
to Miss Foster. Doesn't she look styl-
ishY'
"She looks, suppose" said Nora,
thoughtfully, 'as girls Of our age ought
to look. Why do you ask me to stay,
Celia? Shall wc-shall we," she repeat.
/ ed, with q ring Of unconscious hope in
her voice, "have tea In the school room
IL I stay--just we and the boys together,
as usual-and Idle about and enjoy our.
selves? I thought Of 1t all the morning.
Celia, and indeed all yesterday, for I
knew I WIS coming with the message"
| NO." returned Miss Pennington. II
am to dine with the elder ones this even.
Ing. Otherwise, dear Nora---"
| u'us, tuiu the Riri, WIN 4 euSpl-
cious catching In her breath. as she turn.
cd and put the bit between Borak's two
remaining teeth.
"l'll tell you what IN do. Nora." cried
Tom Pennington. "l'll take the car out
to the bog for you, while Nat looks out
that none VI them see. and then you fol.
low"
"D'you think" cried Nora, her cheeks
ahame and her eyes flashing, "that I'd
grow ashamed Of Borak all In minute,
because you are ashamed Of met You
know quito well that am proud Of him
you always knew 1t. You know how hap.
py ! was when I came to-day. You told
me how proud looked. and we all laugh.
ed. IL Think" she said. with the sud.
den cadence VI sadness In her tone. ..jt
Is time We were at home-Borak and
me-"
And me-" added Mr.. Poynx. with a
lofty disregard Of Syntax. II have To
cross the bog, Miss st. George. viii you
give me u seat In your carr"
II did not need his intent look into the
girls face to see the change which his
proposal brought there. The flash ~
scorn which Tom Pennington's idea had
evolved melted as by a breath, and a
new, strange wonder crept Into her lus.
trous eyes. Though she did NOT know
who this stranger might be, instinct alone
was sufficient to convince her that no
one ut the vicaragc would question his
taste. And he had asked to drive on
the car, which Tom would have surren.
titiously led out OF sight! He had aske,l
to drive with the shabby girl upon whom,
| NGis. Enotnr Ind Va xol x.,tsl,
All the warm and frank simplicity of
Nora's nature resumed Its sway, and her
assent to his proposal was like the glad
aud prompt assent OF child. How com.
Portable they would be. one on each side
Of the car!
With IN innate feeling Of dclicacy, for
which she could not have accounted II
she had tried, Nora withheld even a
glance at the drawing room windows. and
even u wave Of the hand to Celia, while
anyone standing ut those windows could
see her. A gentleman was driving her, a
grander gentleman than she had ever
seen before, aud she was sitting In lux
uri0us idleness; but still she never wish
ed that Miss Foster could see aud envy
her.
Cecilia said you were friend of Mr.
Fosters" she said.
Eyes. Aud the Reverend Wiil0ughb,
Foster, Curate Of Heatol, In In no way
different from young viii Foster, tn,
. pupil Of Mr.. Pennington. aud the friend
Of Miss st. George"
The very merriest sound possible. II
Its gladness and Its unconstraint, wal
Nora's laugh: but 1t was as swift as Il
} was pretty.
ut sounded odd for you to speak 20 Of
VIII, yet 1t is the truth exactly. He wa,
friend to me indeed. though he w0uldn',
know me as Miss St. George; and some
how, when We all got found out AM
scOlded, Will always tried to get sc0ldel
for himself and me; do you unuerstandY 2
mot yet" replied Mark, meditatively
!: ut Is u difficult situation to take In. YOl
must have, been quite little girl eve,
when Foster left here"
Il was nearly fourteen" returned Nora
conscientiously; "but being SIX year
younger than Wi-Mr. Foster. didn't tax
. any blame from me, because whatever w
did wrong was my fault. He wOul'
, have been quite good by himself. VIII
"a a