"
"You are mistaken, she does not-- not now."
"I am not mistaken; she takes a great interest in you. Priscilla, you
must have guessed-- you have guessed-- what Maggie Oliphant is to me;
I should like, therefore, to help her friend. That is one tie between
us, but there is another-- Mr. Hayes, your parish clergyman----"
"Oh!" said Prissie, "do you know Mr. Hayes?"
"I not only know him," replied Hammond, smiling, "but he is my uncle.
I am going to see him this evening."
"Oh!"
"Of course, I shall tell him nothing of this, but I shall probably
talk of you. Have you a message for him?"
"I can send him no message to-day."
They had now reached the college gates. Hammond took Priscilla's hand.
"Good-by," he said; "I believe in you and so does Miss Oliphant. If
her money was stolen, the thief was certainly not the most upright,
the most sincere girl in the college. My advice to you, Miss Peel, is
to hold your head up bravely, to confront this charge by that sense of
absolute innocence which you possess. In the meanwhile I have not the
least doubt that the real thief will be found. Don't make a fuss;
don't go about in wild despair-- have faith in God." He pressed her
hand and turned away.
Priscilla took her usual place that day at the luncheon table.
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