The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 41: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

3&0 THE EVIL GENIUS. oon took the only course that was open to him; he took his t Sydney turned away to leave the room. Linley opened the door for her. ‘* Don’t be discouraged,” he whispered, as she passed him; ‘‘ you shall hear from me.” Having said this, he made his parting bow to the schoolmistress. Miss Wigger held up a peremptory forefinger, and stopped him on his way out, Barc wondering what she would do next. She rang the ell. ‘* You are in the house of a gentlewoman,” Miss Wigger ex- plained. ‘‘ My servant attends visitors, when they leave me.” A faint smell of soap made itself felt in the room: the maid ap- peared, wiping her smoking arms on her apron. ‘‘ Door. I wish you good-morning ”—were the last words of Miss Wigger. Leaving the house, Linley slipped a bribe into the servant’s hand. “I am going to write to Miss Westerfield,” he said. ‘* Will you see that she gets my letter ?”’ ** That I will!” He was surprised by the fervor with which the girl answered him. Absolutely without vanity, he had no suspicion of the value which his winning manner, his bright blue eyes, and his sunny smile had conferred on his little gift of money. A hand- some ia was an eighth wonder of the world at Miss Wigger’s school. At the first stationer’s shop that he passed he stopped the car- riage, and wrote his letter. ‘* T shall be glad indeed if I can offer you a happier life than the life you are leading now. It rests with you to jhelp me to do this. Will you send me the address of your parents, if they are in London, or the name of any friend with whom I can ar- range to give you atrial as governess to my little girl? I am waiting your answer in the neighborhood. If any hinderance should prevent you from replying at once, I add the name of the hotel at which I am staying—so that you may telegraph to me, before I leave London to-night.” The stationer’s boy, inspired by a private view of half acrown, set off at a run—and returned at a run with a reply. ‘‘T have neither parents nor friends, and I have just been dis- missed from my employment at theschool. Without references to speak for me, I must not take advantage of your generous offer. Will you help me to bear my disappointment, by permit- ting me to see you, for a few minutes only, at your hotel? In- deed, indeed, sir, I am not forgetful of what I owe to my respect for you, and my respect for myself. I only ask leave to satisfy ee that I am not quite unworthy of the interest which yov ave been pleased to feelin 8S. W.” In those sad words, Sydney Westerfield announced that she bad completed her education. carne eset) emcee COLMICLOOKS. CO