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"Igaveadyingoldwomanwhatshemostlongedfor." "You'vetaughtittobreaktheSabbath." "Imadeagreatmanylittlechildrenveryhappy." "Youhaveruinedthehabitsofthriftwehavebeenatsuchpainstoteachandencouragefortwenty-fiveyears." "Ihelpedthepoorwhentheyaskedmeto." "AndnowwhatIwanttoknowis,whathasbecomeoftheHancockgirl?" "Praywho,exactly,istheHancockgirl?" "ThatunfortunatecreaturewhoworkedhereforyouonWednesday." Priscilla'sfacechanged."Emma?"sheasked. "Emma.Atthishourthedaybeforeyesterdayshewasasgoodagirlasanyinthevillage.Shewasgood,anddutiful,andhonest.Nowwhatissheandwhereisshe?" "Hasshe—isn'tsheinherhome?" "Sheneverwenthome." "Thenshedidlosethemoney?" "Loseit?Shehasstolenit.Doyounotseeyouhavedeliberatelymadeathiefoutofanhonestgirl?" Priscillagazedindismayattheavengingvicar'swife.Itwastruethen,andshehadthefatalgiftofspoilingallshetouched. "Andworsethanthat—youhavebroughtagoodgirltoruin.He'llnevermarryhernow." "He?" "Doyounotknowthepersonshewasengagedtohasgonewithher?" "Idon'tknowanything." "TheywalkedfromheretoUllertonandwenttoLondon.Herfathercameroundtousyesterdayafteryourunclehadbeentohimmakinginquiries,anditisallasclearasday.Tillyouruncletoldhim,hedidnotknowaboutthemoney,andhadbeentoo—notwellenoughthatdaytonoticeEmma'snothavingcomehome.Youruncle'svisitsoberedhim.Wetelegraphedtothepolice.They'vebeentracedtoLondon.That'sall.Except,"andsheglaredatPriscillawithallthewrathofaprophetwhosedenunciationshavebeenjustified,"exceptthatonemorelifeisruined." "I'mverysorry—very,verysorry,"saidPriscilla,soearnestly,soabjectlyeven,thathereyesfilledwithtears."Iseenowhowthoughtlessitwasofme." "Thoughtless!" "Itwasinexcusablythoughtless." "Thoughtless!"criedMrs.Morrisonagain. "Ifyoulike,itwascriminallythoughtless." "Thoughtless!"criedMrs.Morrisonathirdtime. "Butitwasn'tmorethanthoughtless.I'dgiveanythingtobeabletosetitright.Iammosttrulygrieved.Butisn'titalittlehardtomakemeresponsible?" Mrs.Morrisonstaredatherasonewhoeyessomestrangenewmonster."Howamazinglyselfishyouare,"shesaidatlast,intonesalmostofawe. "Selfish?"falteredPriscilla,whobegantowonderwhatshewasnot. "Inthefaceofsuchtotalruin,suchuttershipwreck,tobethinkingofwhatishardonyou.You!Why,hereyouarewithasafeskin,freefromthebitteranxietiesandtemptationspoorpeoplehavetofightwith,withsomuchtimeunoccupiedthatyoufillitupwithmischief,withmoremoneythanyouknowwhattodowith"—Priscillapressedherhandstogether—"sheltered,freefromeverycare"—Priscillaopenedherlipsbutshutthemagain—"andthereisthatmiserableEmma,hopeless,branded,foreveranoutcastbecauseofyou,—onlybecauseofyou,andyouthinkofyourselfandtalkofitsbeinghard." PriscillalookedatMrs.Morrison,openedhermouthtosaysomething,shutit,openeditagain,andremarkedverylamelythattheheartaloneknowsitsownbitterness. "Psha,"saidMrs.Morrison,greatlyincensedathavingtheScriptures,herownspeciality,quotedather."I'dliketoknowwhatbitternessyourshasknown,unlessit'sthebitternessofabadconscience.NowI'vecomehereto-day"—sheraisedhervoicetoanoteofwarning—"togiveyouachance.Tomakeyouthink,bypointingoutthepathyouaretreading.Youare