Dwell Deep | Page 9

India; he was one of my dearest

friends, as you know, and on his dying bed he made me promise that
when your education was finished I should look after you as one of my
own daughters, see that you were given every advantage due to the
position in society that he meant you to occupy, and in fact be to you
what he would have been had he lived. I know what his views were for
you, and those views I shall conscientiously try to further whilst you
are with me. I shall not countenance for a moment your hiding away
from friends of your parents, and others with whom I wish you to
associate. A time will come when you will thank me for my firmness
now, and for refusing to allow you to sacrifice all your prospects in life
to some morbid fancies that you must have picked up in some
Dissenting chapel.'
I was silent for a moment, then I said,--
'I think my father would have wished me to be happy, General Forsyth;
I cannot go against my conscience in this matter, it would make me
wretched. I do feel very grateful to you for giving me a home; but
indeed I would rather go away and earn my own living than lead the
life you have planned out for me.'
'We will not discuss the matter further,' said General Forsyth icily; 'I
have told you my wishes on the subject. If I am to treat you as one of
my own daughters, you will accompany them wherever they go. I am
accustomed to be obeyed in my own house, and I do not think you will
deliberately oppose my wishes for you.'
'I am sorry to displease you,' I said in a low voice, 'but in this one
respect I feel I am right in acting so'; and then I left the room with a
heavy heart. I went out into the garden a little later, and made my way
to a quiet spot in a plantation near the house, where I had found a
delightful little nook to sit in, and there I took my Bible and had a quiet
read and prayer. General Forsyth was not in to luncheon, but I saw
from Mrs. Forsyth's face that he had told her of our interview. She said
very little to me, and when the theatricals were mentioned at the table
she changed the subject at once.
In the afternoon I joined Violet and her governess in an expedition to a

wood a little distance off. We took tea with us, and I thoroughly
enjoyed it. Miss Graham was a quiet woman, but very clever, and she
and her pupil were the best of friends.
'I wish you were in the schoolroom with me,' said Violet, as we sat
chatting together in the cool shade under the trees. 'I think we should
have great fun together, and do you know, I heard mother say to
Constance this morning that she wished you were too, for then the
difficulty would be solved. What did she mean?'
I gave an involuntary sigh, and Miss Graham looked at me a little
curiously; then, as Violet started to her feet in pursuit of a squirrel, she
laid her hand gently on my arm.
'You look troubled, Miss Thorn; I am afraid you are one of those who
try to go through life too seriously, isn't it so?'
'I don't think so,' I said with a smile; 'I am a little troubled to-day
because I am vexing both General and Mrs. Forsyth very much, I am
afraid, but I cannot help it.'
'Ah! don't do it, my dear. Take their advice, and trust them about your
life here. They are old, and you are young. I have heard from Nelly a
little about your difficulty, and I am sorry for you, for I admire your
sincerity. Still, we see things differently when we get older, and you
will find that it is always best to give way to others, and keep your own
opinions in the background, especially when you are young.'
'It isn't my opinions that I want to bring forward,' I said, 'but I am old
enough to be responsible for my actions.'
'There was a time when I had such thoughts,' said Miss Graham; 'when
I was quite a young girl I used to long to join a Sisterhood, and devote
myself to good works for the rest of my life; but I was shown how
visionary and unpractical such ideas were, and after a time I ceased to
entertain them.'
'Why did you want to give yourself up to good works, Miss Graham?' I

asked a little curiously.
She laughed. 'Well, if you really want to know, it