



Produced by StevenGibbs, KarenD, and the Online Distributed
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THE SILVER LINING


_A GUERNSEY STORY._


  BY

  JOHN ROUSSEL.


  Guernsey:
  FREDERICK BLONDEL GUERIN,
  "THE SUN" OFFICE, HIGH STREET.

  1894.




INDEX.


  CHAPTER    I.--THE RESULTS OF DISOBEDIENCE                       3
            II.--A LITTLE GIRL'S CHANGE OF LIFE                   15
           III.--THE BOARDING SCHOOL                              24
            IV.--THE INFLUENCES OF A GOOD HOME                    33
             V.--THE REWARD OF INORDINATE AMBITION                45
            VI.--NEW ACQUAINTANCES                                54
           VII.--AN ABRUPT DISMISSAL                              62
          VIII.--AN UNPLEASANT VISIT                              72
            IX.--DECEPTIONS                                       79
             X.--'TWIXT LOVE AND DUTY                             84
            XI.--BUSINESS                                         91
           XII.--A STRANGE MEETING                                96
          XIII.--SUPERSTITION                                    102
           XIV.--FAILURE                                         107
            XV.--DARK DAYS                                       115
           XVI.--SHADOW AND SUNSHINE                             125
          XVII.--THE EFFECTS OF A SERMON                         130
         XVIII.--SUCCESS AFTER SUCCESS                           135
           XIX.--TOM'S INTERVIEW WITH MRS. VIDOUX                143
            XX.--TOM'S VISIT TO HIS UNCLE                        148
           XXI.--THE ENCOUNTER                                   153
          XXII.--FATHER AND DAUGHTER                             159
         XXIII.--A SECRET CORRESPONDENCE                         163
          XXIV.--MR. ROUGEANT GOES TO CHURCH                     169
           XXV.--LOVE TRIUMPHS                                   173
          XXVI.--WEDDED                                          183
         XXVII.--RECONCILIATION                                  189
        XXVIII.--A SAD END OF A MISPENT LIFE                     197
          XXIX.--DOMESTIC HAPPINESS                              205




THE SILVER LINING.

A GUERNSEY STORY.




CHAPTER I.

THE RESULTS OF DISOBEDIENCE.


One fine summer afternoon--it was the month of June--the sea was
calm, the air was still, and the sun was warm.

The mackerel boats from Cobo (a bay in the island of Guernsey) were
setting sail; an old woman was detaching limpets from the rocks, and
slowly, but steadily, filling up her basket. On the west side of the
bay, two air-starved Londoners were sitting on the sand, basking in
the sunshine, determined to return home, if not invigorated, at
least bronzed by the sea air. On the east side, a few little boys
were bathing. A middle-aged man, engaged in searching for sand-eels,
completed the picture.

A little boy, who might have been nine years of age, was standing in
the road gazing upon this scene. The way in which he was clothed,
betokened that he was not one of the lads that lived in the vicinity
of that bay. He was dressed in a well-fitting knickerbocker suit,
and his polished boots, his well combed hair, denoted that he was an
object of especial care at home. He possessed a very intelligent
air, a fine forehead, rather large eyes which were full of
expression, and his frowning look, the way in which he stamped his
little foot, denoted that he was of an impulsive temperament. This
little fellow had some very good ideas. He had determined to be
good, and unselfish; and he tried to learn as much as he possibly
could. His mother had told him that later on this would help him in
life.

Once, an inquisitive pedlar, noticing his intelligence, and his
garrulous disposition, asked him jokingly if he ever intended to
marry. Upon which Frank Mathers (this was the boy's name) assumed a
serious air, and giving his head a little toss he answered, "I do
not know yet, there are so many beautiful little girls everywhere,
one does not know which one to choose."

A physiognomist might easily have seen that in this little boy's
soul a struggle was going on. "Shall I go?" he was saying to
himself; "shall I go and amuse myself?" His conscience had a great
power over him; but the beautiful sea was tempting, each wave as it
fell produced a sound which was sweeter to his ears than the
sweetest music.

"Your mother has forbidden you to go;" said his conscience; "you