"You are quite mistaken when you say that I am one of the rich ones,"
said Leslie; "we are none of us rich. On the contrary, we are poor. My mother has to work very hard to support us; and I should not be here at this moment were it not for the great kindness of a friend of my dear father"s, a Mr. Parker."
"Parker?" said Annie, starting; "did you say Parker?" She roused herself and looked attentively at Leslie.
"I did," replied Leslie. "Mr. Parker-he was my father"s great friend. Do you happen to know anyone of the name?"
"My brother has been in the office of a man of that name, and I happen to know him slightly myself. He is a very rich city merchant. I wonder if it could possibly be the same."
"Very likely," answered Leslie. "Our friend"s name is Charles Parker, and he lived for a great many years in Sydney."
"The same; it must be the same," said Annie. She clasped her hands and looked excited. "And you know this Mr. Charles Parker well?" she said, turning to Leslie. "He is good to you?"
"I do not know him well," replied Leslie; "but he is very good to me-more than good. The fact is, it is he who has sent me here. He is paying all my fees. He was a great friend of my dear father"s, and mother could not help accepting his generous offer. You see by that fact, Annie, that I am not a rich girl, and that I know about poverty.
Now, what is troubling you? Do tell me."
"I cannot," replied Annie abruptly. "I have changed my mind. It is much better for you not to know."
She moved away, looking sulky and wretched.
"Don"t you want to go to bed?" she said presently.
"Yes, I am tired," answered Leslie; "but I don"t mind how long I wait up if I can really help you."
"You cannot help me. I have quite changed my mind. It is better for you to know nothing whatever about me."
Annie moved to the other end of the room and began to take off her things. She tossed her hat on the nearest chair; her jacket had already tumbled on to the floor, but she had not observed it. She then began to unfasten her dress, and, taking down her untidy red hair, twisted it up into a knot at the back of her head.
"I wonder if it is quite certain," she said presently, "if the Mr.
Charles Parker you know is the one in whose office my brother has been?"
"It is impossible for me to tell you that," replied Leslie. "I only know that our friend"s name is Charles Parker, that he made his fortune in Sydney, and that he is now in the city."
Annie heaved a great sigh of mingled relief and perplexity.
"It must be the same," she said. "Leslie, you are a very good girl, and I am sorry I was rude to you to-day."
"It does not matter about that in the least," replied Leslie. "I wish you would think more of how you are to get out of your sc.r.a.pe. Miss Lauderdale was considerably annoyed at your not attending the meeting.
Are you prepared to apologize to-morrow?"
"Of course I am. Oh, by the way, what did you say about me?"
"The truth. I said you were ill."
"If they ask you again, you will tell them again that I was really ill?"
"Of course I shall; you were very ill. You were not putting it on, were you, Annie?"
"Of course not," answered Annie. "Now, do go to bed, and don"t ask any more questions. I was ill, and I am ill still, but my illness is not of the body. All the same, I have got such a headache that I can scarcely stand up."
"Well, I am glad you are not going to do any more work to-night."
"Work!" said Annie. "The mere thought makes me feel sick. Good-night, Leslie. Don"t let us talk any more until the morning."
Annie lay down on her bed, taking the clothes and wrapping them tightly round her.
"Don"t speak to me again," she muttered; and Leslie, kneeling by her little bed, tried to pray. But all her thoughts were in a whirl. She hated herself for not telling Annie that she had overheard her conversation. Finally, she made up her mind to do so in the morning.
Being dead tired, she soon dropped asleep; but she was awakened just when the dawn was breaking by a noise in the room. She opened her eyes.
To her astonishment, she saw that Annie Colchester was up; that she was standing by her desk turning over her (Leslie"s) papers just as if she were looking for something.
"What is it, Annie?" called Leslie, raising herself on her elbow, and staring in astonishment at her room-fellow.
Annie started and flushed guiltily.
"I was looking for a paper of mine," she said, "which I thought might have got amongst yours. I cannot think where I put it; but I see it is not here, and I must only do it over again. It is too bad."
She sighed heavily as she spoke, dragged herself across the room, and once more got into bed.
Leslie lay down without making any remark.
"Another time I will lock my desk," she thought. "I hate to have my papers and letters looked over. Somehow, I don"t believe what she said about her own paper having got mixed up with mine. She knows that if she is untidy I am absolutely the reverse."
Soon afterwards she fell asleep again, and when she did awake saw to her astonishment that the sun was pouring into the room, and that Annie Colchester was already up and neatly dressed; her hair was put up tidily, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes wore a bright and yet curious expression.
"How early you are!" said Leslie. "You don"t look well," she continued, "and yet in some ways I have never seen you look better."
"I have a headache, but that does not matter in the least," replied Annie. "I am off now to see Miss Lauderdale, and to apologize for my rudeness in not coming to the meeting last night. I shall tell her that I had such a terrible headache I could not hold my head up; but be sure, Leslie, you don"t mention that I was out part of the time."
"I shall not volunteer the information," answered Leslie; "but if I am asked, of course I must mention it. I don"t suppose I shall be."
"If you are asked!" said Annie, frowning. "You don"t mean to say that you will betray me?"
"I am not likely to be asked," said Annie. "I said last night that you were very ill. Will you never understand, Annie, that I really wish to help you?"
"You can help me by holding your tongue," said Annie. She went up to Leslie, half-bent forward as if she meant to kiss her, then changed her mind, and a moment afterwards left the room.
"What can be up?" said Leslie to herself. "How is she going to get that money? Poor girl, I wish she would confide in me; not that I know any way of really helping her. But stay-I wonder if Mr. Parker-- No, no, I could not-I could not ask him."
Leslie dressed hastily, put her part of the room in order, opened her window wide, and then ran down to breakfast.
There were a couple of letters on her plate. These occupied her attention during the meal, and she scarcely spoke to anyone. Immediately after prayers she had to attend a lecture in Wingfield. As she was returning to the college she was met by Marjorie and Eileen, who stopped her, to speak eagerly about Miss Lauderdale"s scheme of the night before.
"It is exactly what we want," said Eileen; "for the first time we both feel really in touch with St. Wode"s. You, Leslie, will be sure to take part in this n.o.ble work?"
"If I have time I certainly will," replied Leslie; "but I have come here to study. I am working hard for a very definite object, and nothing must stand in the way of my work."
"By the way, you are going to see Belle Acheson this afternoon?"
"Yes; I promised to do so," replied Leslie.