The Great Refusal
All night Miss Smith lay holding the quivering form of Zora close to her breast, staring wide-eyed into the darkness‚ÅÝ‚Äîthinking, thinking. In the morning the party would come. There would be Mrs. ¬ÝGrey and Mary Taylor, Mrs. ¬ÝVanderpool, who had left her so coldly in the lurch before, and some of the Cresswells. They would come well fed and impressed with the charming hospitality of their hosts, and rather more than willing to see through those host‚Äôs eyes. They would be in a hurry to return to some social function, and would give her work but casual attention.
It seemed so dark an ending to so bright a dream. Never for her had a fall opened as gloriously. The love of this boy and girl, blossoming as it had beneath her tender care, had been a sacred, wonderful history that revived within her memories of long-forgotten days. But above lay the vision of her school, redeemed and enlarged, its future safe, its usefulness broadened‚ÅÝ‚Äîsmall wonder that to Sarah Smith the future had seemed in November almost golden.
Then things began to go wrong. The transfer of the Tolliver land had not yet been effected; the money was ready, but Mr. ¬ÝTolliver seemed busy or hesitating. Next came this news of Mrs. ¬ÝGrey‚Äôs probable conditions. So here it was Christmas time, and Sarah Smith‚Äôs castles lay almost in ruins about her.
The girl moaned in her fitful sleep and Miss Smith soothed her. Poor child! here too was work‚ÅÝ‚Äîa strange strong soul cruelly stricken in her youth. Could she be brought back to a useful life? How she needed such a strong, clear-eyed helper in this crisis of her work! Would Zora