Bad Hugh

"What He does we know not now, but we shall know hereafter," Adah said,

reverently, adding: "If George had feared God, he would not have left me

so; but he didn't, and perhaps he says there is no God--but you don't,

Mr. Worthington. Your face don't look like it. Tell me you believe," and

in her eagerness Adah grasped his arm beseechingly.

"Yes, Adah, I believe," Hugh answered, half jestingly, "but it's such as

you that make me believe, and as persons of your creed think everything

is ordered for good, so possibly you were permitted to suffer that you

might come here and benefit me. I think I must keep you, Adah, at least,

until he is found."

"No, no," and the tears flowed at once, "I cannot be a burden to you. I

have no claim."

After a moment she grew calm again, and continued: "You whispered, you know, that if I was ever in trouble, come to you,

and that's why I remembered you so well, maybe. I wrote down your name,

and where you lived, though why I did not know, and I forgot where I put

it, but as if God really were helping me I found it in my old portfolio,

and something bade me come, for you would know if it was true, and your

words had a meaning of which I did not dream when I was so happy. George

left me money, and sent more, but it's most gone now. I can take care of

myself."

"What can you do?" Hugh asked, and Adah replied: "I don't know, but God will find me something. I never worked much, but

I can learn, and I can already sew neatly, too; besides that, a few days

before I decided to come here, I advertised in the Herald for some

place as governess or ladies' waiting maid. Perhaps I'll hear from

that."

"It's hardly possible. Such advertisements are thick as blackberries,"

Hugh said, and then in a few brief words, he marked out Adah's future

course.

George Hastings might or might not return to claim her, and whether he

did or didn't, she must live meantime, and where so well as at Spring

Bank, or who, next to Mr. Hastings, was more strongly bound to care for

her than himself?"

"To be sure, he did not like women much," he said; "their artificial

fooleries disgusted him. There wasn't one woman in ten thousand that was

what she seemed to be. But even men are not all alike," he continued,

with something like a sneer, for when Hugh got upon his favorite hobby,

"women and their weaknesses," he generally grew bitter and sarcastic.

"Now, there's the one of whom you are continually thinking. I dare say

you have contrasted him with me and thought how much more elegant he was

in his appearance. Isn't it so?" and Hugh glanced at Adah, who, in a

grieved tone, replied: "No, Mr. Worthington, I have not compared you with him--I have only

thought how good you were."