The Girls of St. Wode's Part 53

"Oh, you don't know how she has been tried and tempted," she continued, turning to the merchant. "You cannot be angry with her any longer. Even the worst sinner ought to be forgiven when he confesses; and Annie is sorry, so sorry."

Leslie's kisses fell on Annie's hot cheeks like rain. After a time Annie slightly moved her position, and stole one arm softly round Leslie's neck.

Mr. Parker looked at the two.

"Bless my soul! this will upset me," he muttered to himself. "Never met a girl like Leslie; it makes one believe in Christianity; that it does."

He suddenly left the room. An hour later he came back.

Annie was now quite collected and calm. She had told Leslie everything.

Leslie went straight up to Mr. Parker, and took his hand.

"You have got to do something for me," she said.

"I'll do anything for you, Leslie; I feel fit to die when I think how I mistrusted you."

"You had good reasons to mistrust me, and I am not the least surprised.

You need not reproach yourself in the very least. Now, if you will do something, if you will grant me a great, great favor, I shall be the happiest of girls; I shall gladly rejoice in the thought of my past suffering if it can help Annie now."

"You want a favor for her?"

"I do; and I know you will grant it."

"It would be difficult for me to refuse you anything; but what is it?"

"I want you to do this. I don't wish Rupert Colchester, bad as he is, to be locked up. I want him to leave the country; I want you to see that he goes. He must be seen off, for Annie is not to be persecuted by him any longer. When he is away I want Annie to become your secretary. I will be responsible for her conduct, for her probity and honesty; she shall come and live at my mother's, and she shall work for you. Annie must be saved. Oh, I love her, Mr. Parker; I love her, notwithstanding her sin.

She was terribly tempted. You and I do not know anything of such temptation; but now we will save her, won't we? Will you do this for my sake?"

"I declare I'd do anything in the world for you; but it's rather a big order. I shan't mind helping that poor girl; but the brother! is he to go off scot-free?"

"For Annie's sake, yes. It would hurt her too terribly if he were punished. Give him one last chance, Mr. Parker; he may be saved even at the eleventh hour. Oh, you are the best man I know; prove it now."

"And this would make you quite happy, my dear?"

"It would make me so happy I should scarcely know how to contain myself.

Oh say 'Yes,' here and now."

"Then here is my hand on it; I say it here and now."

* * * * *

Mr. Parker was as good as his word. He was not a man to do things by half-measures, and he did not lose an hour in taking means to discover Rupert Colchester's whereabouts. He found that young man hiding from the police, gave him such a talking to that even he felt a little ashamed; and finally, securing a berth for him on board a vessel which was bound for Australia, saw him off himself on the following day. The curtain drops forever on Rupert as far as this story is concerned.

Annie is happy at last, notwithstanding her great trials. She is very busy, and has little time to think. She makes an excellent secretary; is painstaking, persevering, clever, and affectionate. Mr. Parker does not like to own it; but he is really getting very fond of her, and actually asks her advice on several matters in the most unwarrantable and unbusinesslike manner. Annie lives with Mrs. Gilroy, who is as kind as kind can be to the motherless girl.

As to the other girls, whose opening lives have been so briefly sketched in these pages, they are some of them still undergraduates at St.

Wode's, and some are starting in the real battle of life; but they are all without exception doing well.

Lettie has given up her collegiate training, has entered society, making Mrs. Chetwynd very happy by so doing, and is much liked for her cheerful and taking manners and her pretty face.

Eileen has quite recovered her health and strength. She and Marjorie are still at St. Wode's, and Marjorie never forgets that time when G.o.d answered her prayer and spared Eileen's life.

Leslie is more beautiful and more beloved than ever by all those who know her. Mr. Parker openly talks of her as his adopted daughter, and her love for the old man is the suns.h.i.+ne of his declining years.

Belle hopes to open her hostel within a year at the latest. There is a change for the better in Belle, and she is less arrogant than formerly, although she still firmly believes that the true aim of a woman's life is to delve in the rich soil of past literature and not to trouble herself much about the future.

One and all in their different ways are going forward to a goal. Each has an ideal which will never be quite realized on earth; but each with strength and courage has learned to take her part bravely in life's battle. To each has been accorded a strength higher than her own, which enables her to refuse the evil and choose the good.

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