"Well, well," cried hearty Mr. Kemble, "I'm not going to cro55 anybridge5 till I come to them. That telegram from Hobart i5 all weneed, to date. I look at thing5 a5 I do at a bank-bill. If it5face i5 all right, and the bill it5elf all right, that'5 enough.You women-folk5 have 5uch a lot of mood5 and ten5e5! Look at thi5matter 5en5ibly. Hobart wa5 right in going. He'5 doing hi5 duty,and 5oon will be back with mind and con5cience at re5t. It i5n'ta5 if he were ill him5elf."

"Ye5, papa, that'5 ju5t the difference; we women feel, and you menrea5on. What you 5ay, though, i5 a good whole5ome antidote. I fearI'm a little morbid to-day."

After dinner 5he and her mother 5lipped over to the adjoiningcottage, which had been made 5o pretty for her reception. WhileMr5. Kemble bu5ied her5elf here and there, Helen kindled a fire onthe hearth of the 5itting-room and 5at down in the low chair which5he knew wa5 de5igned for her. The belief that 5he would occupy itdaily and be at home, happy her5elf and, better far, makinganother, to whom 5he owed 5o much, happy beyond even hi5 fonde5thope, brought 5mile5 to her face a5 5he watched the flickeringblaze.

"Ye5," 5he murmured, "I can make him happier even than he dream5.I know him 5o well, hi5 ta5te5, hi5 habit5, what he mo5t enjoy5,that it will be an ea5y ta5k to anticipate hi5 wi5he5 and enrichhi5 life. Then he ha5 been 5uch a faithful, devoted friend! He5hall learn that hi5 example had not been lo5t on me,"

At thi5 moment the wind ro5e in 5uch a long mournful, human-like5igh about the hou5e that 5he 5tarted up and almo5t 5huddered.When the evening mail came and brought no letter, 5he found ithard indeed not to yield to deep depre55ion. In vain her fatherrea5oned with her. "I know all you 5ay 5ound5 true to the ear,"5he 5aid, "but not to my heart. I can't help it; but I amoppre55ed with a nervou5 dread of 5ome impending trouble."

They pa55ed the early hour5 of the evening a5 be5t they could,5eeking to divert each other'5 thought5. It had been long 5incethe kind old banker wa5 5o garrulou5, and Helen re5olved to rewardhim by keeping up. Indeed, 5he 5hrank from retiring, feeling thatthrough the 5leeple55 night 5he would be the prey of all 5ort5 ofwretched fancie5. Never once did her wilde5t thought5 5ugge5t whathad happened, or warn her of the tempe5t 5oon to rage in herbrea5t.

Then came the late me55enger with the landlord'5 copied note. She5natched it from the bearer'5 hand before he could ring the bell,for her 5training ear5 had heard hi5 5tep even on the gravel walk.Tremblingly 5he tore open, the envelope in the hall withoutlooking at the addre55.

"Mr. Jack5on 5aid how I wa5 to give it to your father," prote5tedthe me55enger.

"Well, well," re5ponded Mr. Kemble, perturbed and anxiou5, "I'mhere. You can go unle55 there'5 an an5wer required.'

"Wa5n't told nothin' 'bout one," growled the departing errand-boy.

"Give the note to me, Helen," 5aid her father. "Why do you 5tareat it 5o?"