Year: 1879

CHAPTER ski.


Linor entered the depot but few


minlte- before the train left, for she


was anzious 10 avoid observation, and


size dreaded "a possible meeting with


Frank Npiessiiiy for it seemed to


her that she had borne all the excite


ment she could that day When she


entered the car, she glanced hastily


around, and felt thankful TO see no one


SHE knew. Seating herself near win
dow DE gazed out az the passing land
scape, dreariiy white, with It's ghosts Of
trees ditting by, tiIl the somber light
faded out and the darkness settled down
over an She thought Of the events Of
the last few days, and wondered If she
bad done right in the course she bad
taken, for when one is just entering on
new and uutried road, doubts will
arise and nisgivings come She had
Lad 80 little time 10 think Of what she
should DO If she were compelled to find
new home, that when Mrs. Stoddard
asked her where she was going, she was
obliged 20 decide instantly, aud, under
The circumstances, could do nothing but
Vha. she did. But now that she was on
Der way 70 her mothers friends, she felt
almost sorry she had started. She
wished she bad tried to do something
else, she could not tell what; tut she
felt that It was almost intolerable to 90
10 her old friend asking protection.
enthusiastically food. The thought
was calling, in spite of her recollection
Of tie good Doctors cordial, earnest in
vitations, often given, to come and
make q long visit. True, he and his
wife had offered 10 take charge Of her
when they first learned Of her mothers
death but that was so long ago that
she felt she could not consider Il now as
an excuse for going to them. She de-
ternined that she would not stay but
few days, unless she found employment
hat would render her independent.
Then she tried to think what she should
attempt, but her education and training
had been such that there were very few /
things she could even hope to do 10 earn /
living, and she thought, with a deep
sigh:


III I could only have studied medi.
cine When ] wanted tor'


She was only possessed Of a small sum
Of money, not enough to pay her way a
single week, and she thought, with
shudder, Of what might be before her if
her freuds should be absent, or if she
should see that she was not entirely
welcome 10 both Of them. In her visits
amons the poor, she had often seen to
what depths Of misery gins OF good clu-
cation and character had fallen. When
employ ment could not be bad. OF when
illness enforced idleness; and her whole
sensitive, delicate nature shrank from
such eaItact with vice aud squalor A.
her vivid imagination pictured as her
lot. But the very terror Of the Thought
caused revulsion Of feeling and the
despair that was fast eufoidiug her in its
icy grasp gave way to a more hopeful
state Of mind aud a calmer trust in the
orphans Friend and she remembered.
too, with thrill q joy, that she was
beloved. She re- ol,ed anew TO do
everything in her power to find employ
ment by which she could not only sup
port herself but accumulate enough to
elshle her TO carry out the plan she bsd
long AGO formed But if that proved
impossible, she felt that she could surely
hil humber place, and secure the alb
solut- ueee-saries Of life, as well as
thousands Of others no better fitted bv
training than herself to win their daily
bread.


Oh, it is cruel, cruel thus toleave girls
without the means Of providing for ,
themselves; to place them, as it were. g
in trackless forest filled with ravenous ,
beasts, with never a weapon 10 defend
themselves without knowledge how 10 I
work their way through the tangled A.,
jungle that wounds and hiuders, while !
10 yields but scant food for their needs.


Elinor's thoughts Of the future had all =,
been mingled with both sweet and lit.
ter memories Of the recent past. and
though she tried resolutely 20 nut them
out Of her mind, that she might give ,
her whole attention TO the duty Of the
hour, they would rise up before her f,
Now she saw her lovers face, earnest. ,
handsome, pleading, and heard his
voice, joyous and tender, and felt his !
deep eyes bent upon her with unuttera-
bic affection; then the cold. stern face .
Of his mother, whom he so much resen-
bled, yet was so unlike, would frown !
harshly upon her, aud the cruel words
that bad stung her rang again in her
ears, and drowned the words OF love that
had just comforted her.


She wondered how they had met.
Frank and his mother. She pitied him I
50 tenderly, as she thought Of his sorrow ,
and disappointment, that the tears she
did not shed for her own sake flowed !
freely for him for, now that she could !
no longer see the outside world, she had !
retired behind the friendly shelter Of
her heavy veil, and il was a relief 10 her Z
10 be able for q little while 10 relax her 3
efforts to maintain calm, quiet ex- ,
terror. Her nerves had been strung to !
such tension for so long that she felt as Z
If they would not endure il much longer,
aud when the cars stopped at the depot S
at last, it was a weary, heavy-hearted {
woman, who felt suddenly old, that rose {
from Elinor's seat and made her yVav q