Out of protection of womanhood as the central thought, she must build ramparts against cruelty, poverty, and crime. All this in turn‚ÅÝ‚Äîbut now and first, the innocent girlhood of this daughter of shame must be rescued from the devil. It was her duty, her heritage. She must offer this unsullied soul up unto God in mighty atonement‚ÅÝ‚Äîbut how? Here now was no protection. Already lustful eyes were in wait, and the child was too ignorant to protect herself. She must be sent to boarding-school, somewhere far away; but the money? God! it was money, money, always money. Then she stopped suddenly, thrilled with the recollection of Mrs. ¬ÝVanderpool‚Äôs check.
She dismissed the girl with a kiss, and stood still a moment considering. Money to send Emma off to school; money to buy a school farm; money to ‚Äúbuy‚Äù tenants to live on it; money to furnish them rations; money‚ÅÝ‚Äî
She went straight to Miss Smith.
‚ÄúMiss Smith, how much money have you?‚Äù Miss Smith‚Äôs hand trembled a bit. Ah, that splendid strength of young womanhood‚ÅÝ‚Äîif only she herself had it! But perhaps Zora was the chosen one. She reached up and took down a well-worn book.
‚ÄúZora,‚Äù she said slowly, ‚ÄúI‚Äôve been going to tell you ever since you came, but I hadn‚Äôt the courage. Zora,‚Äù Miss Smith hesitated and gripped the book with thin white fingers, ‚ÄúI‚Äôm afraid‚ÅÝ‚ÄîI almost know that this school is doomed.‚Äù
There lay a silence in the room while the two women stared into each other’s souls with startled eyes. Swallowing hard, Miss Smith spoke.
‚ÄúWhen I thought the endowment sure, I mortgaged the school in order to buy Tolliver‚Äôs land. The endowment failed, as you know, because‚ÅÝ‚Äîperhaps I was too stubborn.‚Äù