There came a knock at the door. Priscilla opened it. “Prissie, darling!” said Maggie Oliphant’s voice. She flung her arms round the young girl’s neck and kissed her several times. “It’s all right, Priscilla,” said Hammond. Miss Heath made a step or two forward. “Come and tell Miss Heath,” said Prissie. “Miss Heath, here is Maggie! Here is dear Maggie and here is Mr. Hammond, and it is all right.” Tears of gladness filled Priscilla’s eyes. She went up to Hammond, took one of his hands in both her own and said in a voice of rapture, “I did help you to-night, didn’t I? You know I said I would do anything in the world for you.” “You have done everything for me, Priscilla,” replied Hammond. “I shall bless you while I live.” Maggie Oliphant’s arms were round Miss Heath’s neck; her head rested against her breast. “We have come straight to you,” she said; “you told me that if such an occasion came, you would act as a mother to me.” “So I can and so I will, dear child. God bless you. You are happy now.” “Happy!” Maggie’s eyes were glistening through the softest rainbow of tears. Hammond came and took the hand which she had suddenly thrown at her side. “We both owe everything to Priscilla,” he said. CONCLUSION Before Maggie Oliphant left St. Benet’s she brought some of the honor which had long been expected from her to the dearly loved halls: she took a first class in her tripos examination. With her mind at rest, a great deal of the morbidness of her character disappeared, and her last term at St. Benet’s reminded the students who had known her in Annabel Lee’s time of the old, brilliant and happy Maggie. Miss Oliphant’s bad half-hours became rarer and rarer, and Hammond laughed when she spoke to him of them and said that she could not expect him to believe in their existence. Shortly after the conclusion of the summer term Maggie and Hammond were married, and her little world at St. Benet’s had to get on without the presence which had always exerted the influence of a strong personality and which had been potent both for good and evil. By this time, however, a girl whose personal charms were few, whose poverty was apparent and whose _gaucherie_ was even now often extreme, was more than filling the place left vacant by Maggie. Extreme earnestness, the sincerity of a noble purpose, the truthfulness of a nature which could not stoop to deceit, was spreading an influence on the side of all that was good and noble. No girl did more honor to Heath Hall than she who, at one time, was held up to derision and laughed at as odd, prudish and uninteresting. Every one prophesied well for Priscilla in the future which lay before her; her feet were set in the right direction; the aim of her life was to become— not learned, but wise; not to build up a reputation, but to gain character; to put blessedness before happiness— duty before inclination.