The Rice belt journal., 1910-01-14
CHAPTER XII.
The Carnival OF Canoes.

| had dined alone and was lounging
about the grounds when | heard voices
near the Glenarm wall. There was no
formal walk there, and my steps were
silenced by the turf The heavy scent
of flowers from within gave me hint
of my whereabouts; there was, l re.
membered, at this point on the school
lawn rustic bench emboWered in
honeysuckle, and Miss Pat and Helen
were, surmised, taking their coffee
there. started away, thinking to enter
by the gate and join them, when Hell
ems voice rose angrily-there was no
mistaking it, and she said in a tone
that rang oddly on my ears:
But you are unkind to him! You
are unjust! 1t is not fair to blame fa-
ther for his i'll fortune"
That is true, Helen; but it is not your
fathers i'll fortune that l hold against
him. All l ask of him is to be sane,
reasonable, to change his manner Of
life, and to come to me in a spirit Of
fairness"
But he is proud, just as you are;
and Uncle Arthur ruined him! 1t was
not father, but Uncle Arthur, who
brought all these hideous things upon
u.s."
l passed rapidly on, and resumed my
walk elsewhere. 1t was a sad busi-
ness, the shadowy father; the criminal
uncle, who had, as Helen said, brought
ruin upon them all; the sweet, mother.
ly, older sister, driven in desperation
to hide; and, not less melancholy, this
beautiful girl, the pathos of whose DO.
sition had struck me increasingly. Per.
haps Miss Pat was too severe, and I
half accused her of l know not what
crimes of rapacity and greed for with.
holding her brothers money; then
set my teeth hard into my pipe as my
slumbering loyalty to Miss Pat warmed
my heart again.
Its the night Of the carnival, sir"
lima reminded me, seeking me at the
water-tower.
Very good, lima. You needn't lock
the boathouse. may go out later"
The cottagers at Port Annandale
mold once every summer a canoe fete
and this was the appointed night. I
was in no mood for gayety OF any sort
but 1t occurred to me that | might re-
l1eve the strained relations between
Helen and her aunt by taking them
out to watch the procession of boats
passed through the gate and took
a turn or two, not to appear to know
OF the whereabout of the women and
to my surprise met Miss Pat walking
alone.
She greeted me with her usual kind.
ness, but knew that I had broken
upon sad reflections. Helen was not
in sight, but l strolled back and forth
with Miss Pat, thinking the girl might
appear
l had note from Father Stoddard
today" said Miss Pat.
i congratulate you," laughed. "He
doesn't honor me-"
hes much occupied" she remarked
aelensiVeiy; and suppose he doesn't
indulge in many letters. Mine was
only ten lines long. not more!"
Father Stoddard feels that he has
mission in the world, and he has lit.
tie time for people like us, who have
food, clothes and drink in plenty He
gives his life to the hungry, unclotbed
and thirsty"
And now, q1ite abruptly, Miss Pat
spoke of her brother.
Has Henry gomez"
"Yes; he left ten days ago."
She nodded several times then
looked at me and smiled.
You have frightened him off! I am
grateful to you!"-and / was glad in
my heart that she did not know that
Gillespie's money had sent him awav
(TO BE. CONTINUED,