His sister looked up with a smile. "Forgotten them?" she said. "Certainly not. I always intended to tell you, Austin, that shortly after Lewis left us, I had a long talk with Mr. M'Ivor on the subject of whether, knowing my father's prejudices on the matter, I should relinquish altogether my study of those subjects. He asked time to consider ere he would advise me. You know he is a 'canny Scot.' Well, next day he came and said he had thought over it, and he believed it was not my duty to give up studies for which I had a God-given talent (I should tell you he had examined me in both mathematics and astronomy), and for which he believed I would one day find a use. So, Austin, ever since then, with occasional help from André M'Ivor, I have gone on steadily with my studies, rising an hour earlier in the morning to find time for them, so that I might never again be tempted to neglect other duties."
"I have tried, Austin, to make home different for you and the younger boys, and so help on the kingdom of God. Would that I had done it always; then perhaps Lewis would never have left his home, and my father would not have been the heart-broken man he now is."
Austin put his arm kindly round his sister's shoulder. "Indeed, Prissy," he said; "you have succeeded in making our home life very different from what it was. Archie and Claude will have no excuse to spend their evenings in bad companionship. Your playing and singing, our various readings and pleasant games, render our evenings at home, as the M'Ivor boys say, 'regular jolly ones;' and I own I am glad you have resumed your studies, for the fault lay not in your devoting time to mental improvement, but in your doing so in a wrong way and from a wrong motive."
"But my reason for asking specially about it is this: you know that to-morrow I set off for Cambridge, and if you can spare an hour three times a week, I am going to ask you to carry on a work I have been doing for a week past. You know Joe Anthony, the carpenter's son, who is confined to his couch? Well, the lad has a great love for study, and at his urgent request, I have been teaching him mathematics; and if you, dear Prissy, would continue to do so, he would be so thankful."
Prissy's eyes glistened as she replied: "Oh, I will do so gladly. I can now easily give the needed time; and I am so thankful that an opening has been given to me to use my talent to help a fellow-creature, and not merely to gratify my own ambition."
"That's all right then, Pris," said her brother. "I'll tell Joe to-day, and show you afterwards how far he has advanced in the study of mathematics. But there is my father calling for me. I must be off now; and I want to run down to the M'Ivors to say good-bye." And so saying, he ran off.
Priscilla then went to her book-case, and with a heart full of joy, took down some of her loved books, and began to glance over the earlier lessons in Euclid. She had just seated herself for a quiet hour of study, when some one knocked at the door, and Archie and Claude bounded in.
"O Prissy, this is jolly! Dr. Sparling has given us a holiday, at the request of Major Wright, who has just returned from India, and who was head-scholar at the school before he went away. Isn't it first-rate, Prissy? And it being Austin's last day at home too makes it all the better. We want to go some good expedition; and the M'Ivors are to join us. And you'll come also, won't you? And, Prissy, do get us some sandwiches and biscuits, for we will be away nearly the whole day. Hurrah! Hurrah! Three cheers for Major Wright!"
Adieu now to Prissy's quiet hour. But if she was disappointed, no trace of so being was allowed to be seen by the boys; but with a good-humoured, "Well, well, if holidays are the fashion, I'll take one too," she put back her book on the shelf, and set off to see to the filling of a basket with eatables for the hungry boys—returning, ere she went downstairs, into the nursery for one minute, to comfort herself with a kiss of little four-year-old Ruth, the pet and plaything of the whole household.
The next morning, a large party of friends met at the railway station to bid adieu to Austin Warner, as he set off for his first term at Cambridge University. He went followed by the good wishes of all who knew him. He left Hereford as the head-pupil of its principal school. His abilities, said Dr. Sparling, were of a high kind, specially as regarded mathematics. Dr. Warner, truth to say, had been greatly surprised at the development of Austin's talents, for, in his undue love to Lewis, he had failed formerly in doing him justice; and it rejoiced Prissy's heart to see that now, in spite of himself, he was beginning to mark with interest and take pride in his son's scholarly attainments.