The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1910-09-17
nv PASSING.
Bv Miss Laura Emerson.

Van Dick sat in his study Writing
when the sounds of distress arose out
side the door. At first he paid no
special attention-sounds OF distress
were nothing to him. But is they
grew louder they resolved themselves
into shrilly distinct words. Let me
see the master" were the words re-
peated many times In much frlghten-
ed feminine voice.
Van Dick heard the butler answer
that the master could not be disturb
ed. Then he rose with some annoy
ance and opened the study door. He
looked curiously at the group before
him. The centre of it was a girl
whom Van Dick had noticed some
days before employed at homework
about the rooms upstairs. He had no.
ticed her because she was particular
~ handsome girl. Now she stood
looking up with appealing, terror
driven eyes. The butler had her by
the arm. The cook, red faced and
excited, leaned from the hall doorway.
At the very moment Van Dicks wife
and his 1O-year old daughter entered
the hall by the street door. The noise
of the gathering had died as It's two
factions looked at each other.
Mrs. Van Dick lost ring this
morning, sir" the butler replied to
the masters question as to the cause
of the late tumult. He went on to
explain that the girl was the only
person who had been in Mrs. Van
Dicks room after she had left the
ring on the table, until the time she
discovered her loss.
The girl broke in half dozen times
while the butler was talking to say
Il never took i'll never took it" She
looked all the while appealingly at
Van Dick and her gaze arrested his
strangely. 1t was not only her eyes
which were large and very blue-at
which he looked. 1t was something
in their depths which surprised him.
There was an expression of veneration
there which in all the pairs of eyes
he had met in his life up to this time
he had never seen before. She dis
tinctly was looking up to him-not
trying by her beauty to charm him,
but in a way allotting him very high
place-he, Van Dick, set on hight
startled him and stirred strange
feeling in his breast.
81 never took it, the girl pleaded
again.
shes a sly one, SIR" murmured the
butler to Van Dick. She amt new to
this business by any means, and she's
got that ring as sure as can be-
The girl in hysteria of despair
flung herself at Van Dicks feet. She
raised her face from the lowly posi-
ton and she begged Van Diek-still
with that new expression. She flung
herself upon his mercy and her at
titude said that she knew him to be
merciful.
Il don't think the girl is guilty of
theft" he said. You may co. he
added to the surrounding group. He
looked carefully into their faces and
saw what he was used to seeing. All
the servants wore carefully cloaked
expression of disapprobation. His
wife swept by Van Dick, her usual in
difference touched lightly with con-
tempt. She looked down at the kneel-
ing maid a little scornfully as she
passed. The daughter of the house
was more innocent, did not look at
the maid, but at her father, and in
her face he read great surprise
surprise that he had shown mercy.
He raised the girl to her feet and
put money into her hands.
You must leave here at once" he
said very kindly. They stood looking
at each other rather awkwardly for
a moment. Van Dicks new curios-
ity got the better of him.
What made you bring your trouble
to me?" he asked.
Because" she answered nervously,
you are good. knew you were good
the first time l saw you. IL thought
you'd be easy with mel thought
you'd be easy with anyone-so /
came"
He voice shook. Her eyes wander
ed uneasily He felt great pity for
her nervousness.
"Good-by, child" he said. He held
out his hand. AS she half reluctantly
put hers into it she shed the same
beauty of the uplifting look upon him.
It came into Van Dicks mind that he
ought to tell her that he was not good.
He stood hesitatinS. 1t almost seem.