The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-10

was Miss Prue's next neighbor. After
the grandmother died he lived on i'll
the old homestead and gave to his
Aunty Prue a double measure of deVo-
ton. When Helen came, Miss Prue was
dreaming beautiful dreams. She was
no matchmaker but it did seem as
If Fate was to give her through these
two some part of the joy her youth had
missed. To the vanishing dreams there
had succeeded fears-Robby was, after
all, man to be misled, it might be,
wrecked by splendors of bronze hair,
sea-blue eyes, and lips as redly dewy
as roses heart. Helen was as beau
tiful as Venus. She would infallibly
have turned Robby's head-if there had
been no Jane Manners. Jane was slim
and palish, but of fine fiber and as true
as steel. Pious also, in a fine unchurch-
ly way, which f1outed missions afar,
and spent itself ungrudging on the
poor, the needy and the heather at its
own door.
Mr.. Bryson, the young minister just
out of the seminary, said Jane was
"deplorably narrow" Helen agreed
with him. 1t was one way of flattering
his vanity, and aside from a natural
love of conquest, Helen wanted to keen
him dangling about her, as a spur to
Robby. Perhaps it was some thought
of him that suddenly died HeIen's
Stormy tears. She flung up her arms
and said steadily: 81 mean it, Aunt
Prue! Unless you help me- you will
have me on your hands for good AMI
always. I swear I never, never will go
back to my mother"
Under all Miss Prue's womanIiness
there was a grain OF flint 1t struck
fire now-her tone was as hard as Hell
ems when she said Not even the risk
of martyrdom shall make me do the
lad such wrong. If anybody must be
sacrificed to you, let it be me- 1 am
older than Robbie by twenty-five
years.
Commonly Helen sulked a week after
one of her outbreaks 1t amazed Miss
Prue to find her at breakfast, silken
and smiling. 81 can never be good, like
jane she said a little later, when
Robby came in to consult with Aunty
Prue about poor sick family. but
1 mean to be henceforth as good as I
can. From what you say, there is like
ly to be need for all the help anybody
can give"
Indeed, there will be- Robby said.
earnestly. 1T is fairly notwithstanding
to think of those poor mill folk. Their
cottages are so cramped-and fever has
sprung up already
i can not help in the nursing" Hell
en- said, dropping her eyes; but I can
fetch and carry-and spend Jillson
money. Oh, don't shake your head
they like to have me do it-and heaps
of people will give me things, if I
come for them in a carriage, that
would shut their hands tight if I went
afoot"
Il believe you are right" Robby
said laughing
II know I am right" Helen pouted.
Then she ran away and left hint
was almost a week, indeed, before he
saw, her again. But he heard of her.
and of her works, almost hourly. She
had flung herself into charity with all
her strength and found in it some
measure of the outlet for which her
active temperament pinned. Thus, with
her airs and graces laid aside, she was
a hundred times more charming. Rob-
bic would certainly have gone down
before her if his heart had not been
secure in James keeping.
fine, clear December, nipping cold.
so helped to check the fever the last
case was convalescent when Christmas
came, and brought a foot of snow. 1t
brought Robby something else-some-
thing that made his voice ring so hap
ply. Helen thrilled to hear him say
from the well-furred depths of his cut
ter: Jump in Quick! I'm going to
give you ride / hope you viii never
forget"
Nesting at his side. Helen's eyes
grew full OF light. Something was
coming-subtly, indehna bly, he was I'M
like what he had ever been before. For
a while neither spoke. Then, as they
drove past the rectory Robbie laugh
ed, and put his hand pOssessively over
hers, saying, gaily: Il want 70 con-