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- silence and constraint any longer.” ae —
“Tet her-speak, Robert,” said his mother ;_“‘it is best.” —
_ Hyacinth kissed again the kindly hand she held in.hers,
THE SHADOW OF A SIM, 408 -
sorrow in the girl's, life—some sorrow that had struck “
her down and brought her to the brink of the grave.
They knew, too, that she must be a lady of good birthand —
refinement. But never by word or deed did they distress
her by the least symptom of curiosity. They had gone
“still further—when she attempted to say anything, Mrs,
Chalmers had laid kindly fingers on her trembling lips, an¢
‘said: | = : . Me,
“WWush! Wait till you are stronger and better, my dear
and then you shall talk.” .
. But now the time had come when she knew that she
must speak to them—-must thank them for such kindness.
as the world rarely shows—must tell them how she was
dead, but had risen to this.new, fresh life in which the
past was to have neither share nor place. The task was
terrible to her, but she must undergo it. It seemed'a di-
‘rect answer to her thoughts when the door opened, and
Dr. Chalmers came in with his mother. The doctor car-
ried with him a bunch of purple grapes, which he laid be- _
- fore her. : Petey
“How kind you are to me!” she said, with trembling _
_ lips.. “I have been thinking all the morning. How can
I thank you? How can I ever repay you? .
“Doctors never expect thanks,” said Dr. Chalmers;
~ “and we are repaid by your recovery.”
‘But the beautiful eyes were filled with tears, She took
the old lady’s hand and raised it to her lips. ‘The doctor
held up his finger in warning, but Hyacinth said:
“ Let me speak—do let me speak. I cannot live in this
”
.
She took the doctor’s and clasped them both together.
“You have been so kindto me,” she said. “ Icannevet |
repay you. I have no money to pay even for the necessa-
ries you have given me. I know you do not want it, but I
cannot understand how it is that you have been so good)
30 me.” oe ont
“ My dear child,” cried Mrs. Chalmers, “we have done
nothing but what every Christian should. You came by —
-necident to us, sick unto death, unhappy, friendless, and |.
homeless, as it.seemed—what less could we do than to |.
take you in and succor you? We could not send you sick
and almos: dying into the streets.”
“No! but you might. have sent me to some hospital.