"
And so he did; for though he was no Augustine
to turn in an hour from worldly hopes and climb
to sainthood through long years of inward strife,
yet in aftertimes no one knew how many false
steps had been saved, how many small sins repented
of, through the power of the memory that
far away a generous woman waited to respect him,
and in his secret soul he owned that one of the best
moments of his life was that in which little Debby
Wilder whispered "No," and kissed him.
As he passed from sight, the girl leaned her
head upon her hand, thinking sorrowfully to herself,--
"What right had I to censure him, when my
own actions are so far from true? I have done a
wicked thing, and as an honest girl I should undo
it, if I can. I have broken through the rules of a
false propriety for Clara's sake; can I not do as
much for Frank's? I will. I'll find him, if I
search the house,--and tell him all, though I never
dare to look him in the face again, and Aunt Pen
sends me home to-morrow.
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