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Thurston, I. T. (Ida Treadwell), 1848-1918

"The Bishop's Shadow"

"
"I know 'twill," cried the boy, joyously, as he tucked the money
carefully into an inside pocket. "Oh, Nan!"
He looked at her with such a happy face that her own beamed a bright
response. Then he ran off and Nan stood in the doorway watching him as
he went down the stairs, closely followed by his inseparable
companion, Tag.
"The dear boy! He is fairly pale," said Nan, to herself, as she turned
back into her room. "It is strange how he loves that bishop--and what
a different boy he is, too, since he came home. I don't see how the
bishop can help loving him. Oh, I do hope nothing will happen to
spoil his visit. He has looked forward to it so long."
The boy felt as if he were walking on air as he went rapidly through
the crowded streets, seeing nothing about him, so completely were his
thoughts occupied with the happiness before him. As he got farther up
town the crowd lessened, and when he turned into the street on which
the bishop lived, the passers-by were few.
At last he could see the house. In a few minutes he would reach
it. Then his joyous anticipations suddenly vanished and he began to be
troubled.
What if Brown wouldn't let him in, he thought, or--what if the bishop
should refuse to see him or to listen to his story?
As these thoughts came to him his eager pace slackened and for a
moment he was tempted to turn back.


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