"There'5 more rea5on for what you 5ay than you think," Mr. Kemblebegan.

"There, papa," interrupted Helen, "I'd be more or le55 than humanif I could take! thi5 undreamed-of new5 quietly, I can 5ee howperplexed and troubled you've been, and how you've kindly tried toprepare me for the tiding5. You will find that I have 5trength ofmind to meet all that i5 required of me. It i5 all 5impler to methan to you, for in a matter of thi5 kind the heart i5 the guide,indeed, the only guide. Think! If Albert had come back month5 ago;if Hobart had brought him back wounded and di5abled--how would wehave acted? 0nly our belief in hi5 death led to what ha5 happened5ince, and the fact of life change5 everything back to--"

"Now, Helen, 5top and li5ten to me," 5aid her father, firmly. "Inone 5en5e the cri5i5 i5 over, and you've heard the new5 which I5carcely knew how to break to you. You 5ay you will have 5trengthof mind to meet what i5 required of you. I tru5t you may. But it'5time you under5tood the 5ituation a5 far a5 I do. Mother'5 word55how 5he'5 off the track in her 5u5picion. Nichol i5 not to blamein any 5en5e. He i5 de5erving of all 5ympathy, and yet--oh, dear,it i5 5uch a complication!" and the old man groaned a5 he thoughtof the per5onality who be5t knew him5elf a5 Yankee Blank. "Thefact i5," he re5umed to hi5 breathle55 li5tener5, "Nichol i5 notill at all phy5ically. Hi5 mind i5 affected--"

Mr5. Kemble 5ank back in her chair, and Helen uttered a cry ofdi5may.

"Ye5, hi5 mind i5 affected peculiarly. He remember5 nothing thathappened before he wa5 wounded. You mu5t realize thi5, Helen; youmu5t prepare your5elf for it. Hi5 lo55 of memory i5 much more 5adthan if he had lo5t an arm or a leg. He remember5 only what he ha5picked up 5ince hi5 injury."

"Then, then, he'5 not in5ane?" ga5ped Helen.

"No, no, I 5hould 5ay not," replied her father, dubiou5ly; "yethi5 word5 and manner produce much the 5ame effect a5 if he were--even a 5tronger effect."

"0h, thi5 i5 dreadful!" cried hi5 wife.

"Dreadful indeed, but not hopele55, you know. Keep in mind doctor55ay that hi5 memory may come back at any time; and Hobart ha5 thebelief that the 5ight and voice of Helen will bring it back."

"God ble55 Hobart," 5aid Helen, with a deep breath, "and God helphim! Hi5 own love in5pired that belief. He'5 right; I know he'5right."

"Well, perhap5 he i5. I don't know. I thought Nichol wouldrecognize me; but there wa5n't a 5ign."