Mliss :: :: University of Virginia Library

Dr. Fox had great confidence in his power to
mould people to his will. He was persuasive,
oily, and persistent. He did not purposely meddle
in the domestic affairs of his parishioners,
but somehow got mixed up in every family estrangement
that occurred. Sometimes he succeeded
in restoring peace, but oftener not. He
could mould pliant natures, but the sterner ones
baffled him.

He called upon Mrs. Shaw the next day, and
after a little talk on ordinary topics, directed
the conversation to Mliss.

“Does Mr. Gray call often to see his ward?”
he asked.

“Very seldom. He has little time for social
calls. Reginia, who, for a wonder, likes him very
much, charges him with neglect.”

“You have no means of knowing, I suppose,
if Mliss meets him away from home?”

“Mliss is ready enough to tell when she meets
him. I think the child rather likes to tease my
daughter—not that there is anything between
Mr. Gray and Reginia, but merely for mischief.”

“Mliss is rather fond of him, is she not?”

“He is the only person who has the least influence
over her. His wish is her law.”

“Is Mr. Gray a man of sufficient character to resist
the temptation such worship offers?”

“I know very little about Mr. Gray. He was my
husband's protege. He seems a very nice young man,
and in money affairs is strictly honorable.”

“You must know, my dear Mrs. Shaw, that the
love of an ardent, trusting girl like our dear Mliss,
subjects the honor of a young man to a severe test.
If the girl has parents, of course there is less danger;
but in this case I believe she has no protector?”

“I believe not. Her mother lives somewhere, but
it was shown in court that she was not a safe guardian
of the child's fortune. The case comes up again
before long.”

“I am afraid some injustice has been done to the
mother. I met her yesterday. She has the appearance
of being a very respectable lady, and mourns
deeply the loss of her daughter. She has applied for
admission to membership in our church.”

“Indeed! I thought she was a different sort of a
person. Of course I know nothing about her.”

“And she is concerned, moreover,” added Mr. Fox,
“at the intimacy which exists between her daughter
and Mr. Gray.”

“Mr. Gray is her daughter's counsel. He acts also
as temporary guardian to take care of her property.
This, I believe, is the extent of their intimacy.”

“I trust so, but—but—but Mrs. Smith is fearful it
may not be.” Mrs. Shaw opened her languid eyes.

“What does Mrs. Smith fear?” she asked.

“Her fears were expressed more in looks than
words. Mliss is now in her fourteenth year, an age
when young girls must care for their reputations.”

“Certainly. But Mliss is not in the least inclined to
foolishness. She allows no one to take even the liberties
men often take with girls of her age.”

“Is she as strict with Mr. Gray?”

“I—don't know. I presume she is.”

“It is intimated that she is not. I don't wish to

alarm you, but I know you are the last person to
serve as a—that is—to afford protection to—”

“My dear Mr. Fox, you would not speak in this way
without cause. Is it suspected that that child has
been imprudent?”

“It is suspected. I regret to add that her own
mother, who loves her with a mother's love, suspects
her.”

“This is horrible. I had no idea. And Reginia going
with her everywhere! What shall we do?”

“Ascertain the facts of the case. If there is guilt,
neither party must find shelter beneath your roof.”

“Not an hour. How do we know what has been
done. Perhaps people are already talking.”

“I think not. If guilty, Mr. Gray has been very
circumspect.”

“Circumspect! The villain! To bring his creatures
here! But it seems impossible after all.”

“At least, we owe it to ourselves and society to ascertain
the truth. Perhaps if you should question
Miss Reginia —”

“I will do so. Not that Reginia can know anything
of this kind, but she has seen them together.”

Miss Shaw was called and questioned. At first her
replies were evasive. She recalled the first time she
had seen Mliss in Mr. Gray's office, reclining in his
arms. Her pure mind had seen nothing in this but
the natural manifestation of affection on the part of a
child for a friend from whom she had been separated,
but she shrank from mentioning the circumstance
even to her mother, much less to Dr. Fox.

But the clergyman was not to be evaded. He spoke
with a certain authority. Her mother requested her
to answer. She must answer truthfully if at all,
as the lies she told were of the whitest kind, harmless
little social fibs which she was sure would never
rise and confront her. At last her Kentucky blood
got up. She declined to answer. Dr. Fox persisted.
She maintained a dignified silence. Her mother
commanded her to answer. Kentucky blood flatly
refused to obey.

A scene ensued. Mrs. Shaw indulged in hysterics.
Miss Shaw coolly rang for the maid. In the midst
of the confusion Mliss entered, pale, her eyes flashing,
the spirit of a devil in her face.

The girl walked right up to the Rev. Dr. Fox and
shook her fist in his face.

“If I was a man,” she said, in a fearfully distinct
tone, “I'd thrash you. You are a meddling
old fool. Do you want to know if I have kissed Mr.
Gray? Yes, a thousand times, and I'd kiss him
when I please. Get out.”

Mr. Fox shrank back from that little fist, and with
more alacrity than he would have shown if it had
been a man's. The young ladies of his congregation
did not indulge in that style of address.

Reginia was astonished, though her Kentucky blood
prompted her to take the passionate child to her heart.
She advanced hastily to Mliss and laid her hand on
her shoulder.

“Don't, Mliss, please don't.

“I wouldn't hurt him,” replied the child, emphasizing
the words as if it were in her power to annihilate
him, if she would condescend to strike; “he isn't
worth it. I never did anything I am not willing the
whole world should know, and he comes sneaking
round with his nasty questions. But it was good in
you not to answer,” and she threw her arms around
Reginia's neck.

“Take the dreadful girl away,” moaned Mrs. Shaw.
“Don't let me see her again.”

“Mother,” said Reginia, firmly, “you are unjust.
The girl does not live less likely to disgrace herself
than Mliss.”

“Reginia, don't you defend her. She has disgraced
herself already. O, what will people say?”

“I don't care,” replied Kentucky blood. “And you,
sir,” she continued, turning to Mr. Fox, “you should
be the last man to traduce an unprotected girl.”

“Miss Reginia,” replied the clergyman, “your generous
impulses carry you too far. What I have done
I have done from regard to you and your family.”

“And this is the thanks you get,” sobbed Mrs.
Shaw. “O, if my poor husband were alive!”

“If papa were alive,” replied Reginia, “he would
not permit even a clergyman to throw suspicion on a
girl living in his house. As it is,” turning to Mr. Fox,
“you will have to answer to Miss Smith's guardian.”

“Don't speak of Mr. Gray, Reginia; I forbid you to
see him again. Who would have thought he could be
such a villain?”

Mliss could hold her peace no longer. Breaking
away from Reginia, she marched up to Mrs. Shaw.

“If you say Mr. Gray is a villain, I say you lie.
Don't dare to say it again, or I'll—I'll kill you.”

“Hush! hush! Lissy. Mamma is ill. Let us go.”

As Mrs. Shaw did not repeat the offensive words,
Mliss suffered herself to be drawn away. Mrs. Shaw
and Mr. Fox were alone together.

“I think we need no farther evidence,” observed
the clergyman; “who ever heard such language from
a child?”

“How shamefully we have been imposed upon.
But for you, Mr. Fox, we might never have discovered
what a character we have in the house.”

Mr. Fox was not in a humor for congratulations.
He was not proud of his afternoon's work. His knowledge
of character inclined him to regard the outburst
of passion on the part of Mliss as the expression
of an innocent heart. But he had gone too far to retract.
To vindicate his own action he must make out
a case against Mliss.

“Of course,” he said, “you will require her guardian
to take her away.”

“Certainly. Without an hour's delay. May I
trouble you to ring the bell?”

Dr. Fox rang the bell.

This time a servant answered. She was dispatched
to Mr. Gray's office with a request that he would call
upon Mrs. Shaw without delay.

In half an hour the servant returned with the intelligence
that Mr. Gray was in Alameda county attending
court, and was not expected back until the last evening
boat.

“In that case,” said Mr. Fox, “Miss Smith must
remain until morning. If it would be of any service
I will call to-morrow.”

“Thank you; if you will be so kind. I have no one
now to depend upon.”

The clergyman took his departure. Soon after
Reginia descended to the sitting-room.

“Do you know, mother, that you have mortally
offended Mr. Gray!”

“Who is Mr. Gray that he should be considered
when our honor and good name are at stake?”

“Dear mamma, are our honor and good name at
stake? Can you for a moment believe this clergyman's
gossip about Mliss?”

“Clergyman's gossip! Reginia, you shock me.
Mr. Fox but hinted in the most guarded terms the
charges openly preferred by the mother of Mr. Gray's
protege.”

“The same woman who threatened to put Mliss in a
Magdalen Asylum. Did you ever hear of such a
thing! Do you believe this woman can be the mother
of Mliss?”

“I don't know, I'm sure. I don't want to be
troubled with other people's affairs.”

“Then let us consider our own a little. You seem
to forget that we owe to Mr. Gray's generosity our
present means of support.”

“I thought our income was derived from our part
of the business of the firm.”

“So Mr. Gray has been kind enough to represent.
Perhaps, too, this representation is strictly correct.
But Mr. Gray is the firm. Our family is not represented
therein. If he choose, he may, without incurring
the least blame, dissolve a copartnership that
only involves a division of his profits, and set up business
for himself. What then would become of us?”

Mrs. Shaw was sure she did not know.

“If I thought,” continued Reginia, “that there
was the least shadow of truth in these charges I would
say, let us do right, be the consequence what it may.
But, mother, I know better. Mliss has told me how
she first became acquainted with Mr. Gray, how she
went to him, a homeless vagrant, hungry, half-naked,
wretched, but with a dim idea that the schoolmaster's
teaching would make her better. She has told me
how kindly he received her, how patient he was with
her, how step by step he led her out of the path of ignorance
and sin, providing her with a home when all
doors were closed against the drunkard's vagrant
daughter, taking her part against all and sustaining
her through all. And when it was discovered that she
was an heiress and her mother came to claim her, how
he gave her to her mother's charge and never sought
her again until Mliss herself claimed his protection
against an unnatural mother. I was a chance witness
of their first meeting, and I know though he held her
sobbing to his breast there was not a sinful thought in
his heart. And now because this mother has found an
advocate in Mr. Fox, you suspect such a man of a design
too horrible to contemplate.”

When Reginia finished speaking Mrs. Shaw was
weeping. Not a bad woman at heart, but weak, selfish,
wholly under the influence of a man she regarded
as God's representative on earth, she now became
dimly conscious that she had been led into an error that
might have serious results. But she had not sufficient
force of character to extricate herself from her
false position. She could only sob and moan and wish
her husband were alive.

Reginia returned to Mliss. The child was still sullen
and angry. She seemed to give no thought to herself
only so far as the events that had occurred might
affect Mr. Gray.