The silver messenger., 1911-09-12

Wner0 ROSallnd ana sister margaret
talked quietly together. l felt Miss
Pats hand touch mine. and suddenly
there we're tears In her eyes.
Il was wrong! l was most unjust In
what said to you Of her. She was
all tenderness, all gentleness when
she came in this morning." She fum-
bled at her belt and held up q small |
cluster Of the sweet peas that Rosa
lind had brought from Red Gate.
Il told you so!" said, trying to
laugh OF her contrition. What you
said to me IL forgotten, Miss Pat"
And now when everything is set
tied, II she wants to marry Gillespie.
let her do it.
But she won't! Haven't told you
that Helen shall never marry him?"
had ordered a blackboard, and 1t
was now announced.
Don't trouble to go upstairs, Aunt
Pat; will bring your things for you"
said Rosalind; and Miss Pat turned
upon me with an air Of satisfaction
and pride, as much as to say: You
see how devoted she is to mel"
l wish to acknowledge here my OBJ
legations to Sister Margaret for giving
me the benefit Of her care and re-
sourcefulness on that difficult day.
There was no nice detail that she over
looked, no danger that she did not an
ticipate. She sat by Miss Pat on the
long drive, while Rosalind and l chat
tered nonsense behind them. We we're
so fortunate as to strike the first bat
| talon, and saw 1t go into camp on a
bit of open prairie to await the arrival
Of the artillery that followed. But at
no time did 1 lose sight of the odd
business that still lay ahead OF me,
nor did l remember with any salts
faction how Helen, somewhere across
woodland and lake, chafed at the de-
layed climax Of her plot. The girl at
my side, lovely and gracious as she
was, struck me increasingly as but q
tame shadow of that other one, SO like
and so unlike! l marveled that Miss
Pat had not seen It; and in q period
of silence on the drive home l think
Rosalind must have guessed my
thought; for l caught her regarding
me with a mischievous smils and she
said. as the others rather too generous
ly sought to ignore us:
"You can see now how different
am-how very different"
When I left them at s.. Agatha
with an hour to spare before dinner
Sister Margaret assured me with he
eyes that there was nothing to fear.
was nervously pacing the long ter
race when I saw my guests approach
ing. told the butler to order Dime
at once and went down to meet them
Miss Pat declared that she never fel
better; and under the excitement
the hour Sister Margaret's eye
glowed brightly.
AS we sat down In the screened CO.
: ner of the broad terrace, with the fri
7 grave approach of twilight in the SIX.
and the curved trumpet of the youn
b moon hanging in the west, it migf
have seemed to an onlooker that tn
1 gods of chance had oddly ordered OF
little company. Miss Patricia in whit
u was a picture of serenity, with tn
p smile constant about her lips. happy
IS her hope for the future. Rosalin
fresh to these surroundings, shove
e clearly her pleasure in the pretty sc
J. ting Of the scene, and read into 1t,
II bright phrases, the delight of stor
y book incident.
IL Let me see," she said, refectivel
II "just who we are: We are the lady
~ the castle perilous dining al fresc
with the abbess, who is also mob
le lady, come across the fields to sit
lr meat with her. And you, sir, are
knight full orgulous, feared in mai
IS lands, and sworn to the defense
~ these ladies'"
"And you"-and Miss Pats ey
a. were beautifully kind and gentle,
she took the cue and turned TO Ros
It. lind, "you are the well-beloved daug
i'd ter Of my house, faithful in all servit
n In all ways self-forgetful and kind, o
er joy and our pride"
1e 1t may have been the spirit OF t
I'D evening that touched US, or only t
l light of her countenance and the de
Of sincerity of her voice; but l kn'
n, that tears were bright in all our ey
p for a moment. And then Rosali
ed glanced at the western heave
IN through the foliage.
to There are the stars, Aunt Pal
nd brighter than ever tonight for ye
ad birthday"
i'd (TO BE CONTINUED)