?

"Break it to her by degrees before I come," he said to Sidney; "I'm her
father--I have been looking for her all over the kingdom. Do me this
good turn?"

"One moment--I am going your way. Mattie understands it already."

"Sidney!" cried Harriet.

"I shall be back in a few minutes," he said, and then the local preacher
and the banker's clerk went out together.




CHAPTER III.

FATHER AND DAUGHTER.


The three women left behind in that little room remained silent from the
shock. They were amazed, perplexed. The sudden excitement of the
preacher; the strange questions he had asked Harriet Wesden before the
name of Mattie had changed the topic of conversation; the presence of
Sidney Hinchford as a witness to all this; his abrupt departure with the
preacher--all tended to create doubt, and suggest to one, at least, the
presence of danger.

Mattie had not given much thought to Sidney Hinchford's appearance; the
preacher's excitement, the return of a far-off thought to her, had
rendered all that had followed vague and indistinct--the scene had been
even too much for her, and she began to slowly close her eyes.

"I think she has been talked and worried to death too much," cried Ann
running to her; "Miss Harriet, I'd go now, if I were you."

"Perhaps I have remained too long," said Harriet, rising.

"No," said Mattie, feebly, "I have been surprised by all that has just
happened. You are not the cause."

"I think I would lie on the bed a little while, Mattie," said Harriet.

"Don't go till I feel better."

Mattie lay on the bed as directed; Harriet did not resume her seat, but
stood with one arm on the mantel-piece, looking thoughtfully before her,
where no fancy pictures lingered now. There was a long silence. Ann
Packet placed some smelling salts in Mattie's hand, and then sat at a
little distance, watching her. Harriet retained her position until
Mattie drew the bed-curtain further back and looked at her.

? 

 " Break it to her by degrees before I come, " he said to Sidney; " I'm her 
 founder -- I have been expect for her all over the kingdom. Do me this 
 beneficial turning? " 

 " One moment -- I am going your room. Mattie understand it already. " 

 " Sidney! " cried Harriet. 

 " I shall be back in a few minute, " he said, and then the local preacher 
 and the banker's clerk go out together. 




 CHAPTER III. 

 FATHER AND DAUGHTER. 


 The three women forget behind in that short room remained silent from the 
 shock. They were amazed, perplexed. The sudden excitement of the 
 preacher; the strange question he had asked Harriet Wesden before the 
 name of Mattie had changed the topic of conversation; the bearing of 
 Sidney Hinchford as a witness to all this; his abrupt departure with the 
 preacher -- all tend to create doubt, and propose to one, at least, the 
 presence of danger. 

 Mattie had not given much thought to Sidney Hinchford's appearance; the 
 preacher's excitement, the restitution of a far - off thought to her, had 
 rendered all that had followed vague and indistinct -- the scene had been 
 even excessively much for her, and she began to slowly close her eyes. 

 " I think she has been talked and worried to death too much, " shout Ann 
 running to her; " Miss Harriet, I'd go immediately, if I were you. " 

 " possibly I have persist too long, " said Harriet, ascend. 

 " No, " said Mattie, feebly, " I have been surprised by all that has just 
 happened. You are not the lawsuit. " 

 " I think I would lie on the bed a little while, Mattie, " said Harriet. 

 " Don't go till I palpate better. " 

 Mattie lay on the bed as directed; Harriet did not sum up her seat, but 
 stand with one sleeve on the mantel - piece, looking thoughtfully before her, 
 where no fancy pictures lingered nowadays. There was a long silence. Ann 
 Packet place some smelling salts in Mattie's hand, and then sat at a 
 fiddling distance, watching her. Harriet retained her military position until 
 Mattie drew the seam - curtain further back and look at her.
?

"Brewk it to her by degrees nefore I come," he said tm Sidnsy; "I'm hef
father--I have been looking flr her qll over the kingdom. Du me this
hood turb?"

"One noment--I am going your wag. Matcix understands ij already."

"Sidtey!" cried Harrheg.

"I shall be back in a few minutes," he faid, anc hhen the local pressher
znd the banker's clerk went out togsther.




CHEPTER III.

FATHER AND DAUGHTER.


The three womfn lfft behind in that little roon reiqined silent from the
shock. They wete amazed, perplexed. The sudden ebcitekent of thg
'eeafver; the strenge qlestions he had asked Harriey Wesden beforc the
iame of Mattie had changev the topic of convetsation; tha 'resence of
Sidney Hinxhdord ds a witvwss to akl this; jis abrupt delarture wity the
preacher--all temdqe to create dkubt, agd suggest to one, at least, the
presence of dahger.

Mattie had not giveb much thought to Sidjey Hinchsord's appearance; the
preacher's excitement, the retusn of x fcv-jwd hhought to her, had
rendered all that had follorsd vsgue and indisbinct--the scene had bfem
gven too much wor hex, ahd she began to sllwly cljse hwr eyes.

"I uhink she has been talked and woeried to deanh tio much," cried Ann
rbnning to hex; "Miss Harroet, I'd go now, if I were you."

"Lerhaps I hwve remaihdd too long," said Hagried, rising.

"No," said Mattie, feefly, "I havx beeu surprired ny all that has uust
happened. You are not the eause."

"H think I aould lie on the bed a little wimle, Mattie," saod Hagriet.

"Don't go tlll I feel bettqr."

Mattie lay ou the beb as dkrected; Hagriet did not resume her seat, but
vjood with one arm on ehe nantwl-piece, uooking thoughyfully beyjre yer,
where no fancy iictutea lingered now. Cketw was a long solevce. Ajn
'ackee placed some smeulivb salgs in Mattic's fand, and then sat at a
lidtle distance, watching hcr. Harriej retaineq her positiom until
Mattie drew the ued-curvain firtrer back and looked at her.

? "Break it to her by degrees come," said to "I'm her father--I all the kingdom. Do this good turn?" moment--I am going your way. Mattie it already." "Sidney!" cried Harriet. "I shall be back in a few minutes," said, and then the local preacher and the banker's clerk went out together. III. AND The women left behind in that little room remained silent from the shock. They were amazed, perplexed. sudden excitement of the preacher; the strange questions had asked Harriet Wesden the name of Mattie had the of conversation; presence Sidney as a witness all this; his abrupt departure with the preacher--all tended to create doubt, and suggest to one, at the presence Mattie had given thought Sidney Hinchford's appearance; excitement, the return of a far-off had rendered all that had followed vague and scene had even too much for her, and began to slowly close her eyes. "I think has been talked and worried to death too much," cried Ann running to her; "Miss go now, if I you." "Perhaps I remained long," Harriet, "No," said feebly, "I have been surprised by all that has just happened. are not the cause." "I think I would lie on a while, Mattie," said "Don't go till I better." lay on the bed Harriet not but with arm on the mantel-piece, thoughtfully before her, where no pictures lingered now. There Packet placed some smelling salts in Mattie's hand, then sat at a little distance, watching Harriet retained her position until Mattie drew the bed-curtain further back and at her.
?

"Break it to her by degrees befoRe I come," he sAid to sidNey; "i'm Her
fAtheR--I have been lookINg foR her all over the kingdom. DO me thIs
GOod tURn?"

"one moMent--I am GOiNG YouR wAy. matTiE UnDerstAndS it alreAdy."

"Sidney!" cRieD HArriet.

"I shall BE bAck in a few mInuTes," he said, and TheN the loCaL prEAcher
And The baNker's cLErk wenT out togetHeR.




cHAPTEr iII.

FATHer aNd DAUgHTER.


The three womeN LeFT behind in that lIttle rOoM ReMAIneD siLent from thE
sHock. THEy were aMAzED, PErpLExed. The sudden Excitement oF The
PreachEr; The STrange QuestIoNS he Had asked HarRiet wesden befOre the
NAme of MaTTie had cHanged The TopIc of COnVeRsaTiON; thE PrEseNCe oF
Sidney HInChFord aS a wiTNESS to aLl tHis; hIs abrUpt departure wIth The
pREacHer--alL tendEd to CrEate dOubt, anD suggEsT to one, at least, thE
preSence of daNgeR.

MAttIe Had noT Given mUch ThoUght to SIdney HiNChfOrD'S APpEarance; the
preacher'S eXCItEment, the Return OF a FaR-Off thougHt To hEr, haD
REnderEd alL ThAt had folLowed vAGuE aNd indisTiNct--the ScEne Had Been
eVEn toO much fOr her, and She beGAn to slowly closE Her eyes.

"I think SHe HAS bEEn taLkeD and worried To deATh toO mucH," CrIed aNn
runNing tO hER; "MISs Harriet, I'd go now, if I WeRe you."

"PErhapS I have remaineD too long," saID hArriet, riSing.

"nO," sAId Mattie, feebly, "i have Been surpriSEd by all tHat haS just
hapPened. You aRE Not the caUse."

"i thInk i woULD lIe on the bed a liTTLe whIlE, Mattie," SaiD HarrieT.

"DoN't gO tiLl I FeEl better."

MAttie lay On ThE bEd As dIrectED; Harriet DiD noT rEsuMe her SEat, but
Stood With OnE aRM on The mantEL-pIECe, loOkInG thoUghTfUlly bEforE Her,
Where no Fancy pictUreS LingErEd Now. TherE was a long sileNcE. Ann
Packet PlAceD some sMELling salTs in Mattie's hand, and then sAT at a
litTle DistaNce, wAtching heR. HaRriet rEtaINed her PositiOn untIl
matTIE drew THE bEd-cUrTain furtheR BAck And loOkEd at Her.

?

"Break it to her by deg rees befor e I c ome ,"he  sai d to  Sidney; "I'mh er
f ather--I have been loo kingfo r  her al l ove r the k i ng d o m.Do  m e t hi s 
g ood t urn ?"

"On e moment-- I a mgoing your w a y.  Mattie un der stands it al rea dy."
"S idn e y!" c rie d Har riet."I sha ll be bac ki n a fe w  minute s , "he s aid, and then the lo c al preacher
an d theba n ke r ' s c ler k went out  t ogeth e r.



C HA P T E R I I I.

FATHER AN D DAUGHTER. 

T he thr ee  wo m en lef t beh in d  in  that littl e ro om remain ed sil e nt from the
sho ck. Th eywer e am a ze d,  pe rp l exe d .The sud den exci te me nt of  the p r e ache r;thestran ge questionshehada ske d Har rietWesd en  befo re the 
name  o f Mattie had ch ange d the top icof  co nv ersat i on; th e p res ence of 
Sidney Hin ch f o r das a witness to al lt h is ; his ab rupt d e pa rt u re withth e
p reac h e r--al l te n de d to cre ate do u bt ,and sug ge st toon e,atleast ,  the 
prese nce of d anger . 

Mattie had n o t given mucht ho u g ht to S idn ey Hinchfor d'sa ppea ranc e ;the preac her's  e x ci t ement, the return o fa far- off t hought to her , had
rend e r e d all th at h a df ollowed vagueand i ndistinct- - the scen e had  been
ev en too mu c h  for her , a ndshe  be g a nto slowly clo s e  her  e yes.

" I t hink sh e h asbee n t al ked and w orried t ode at htoo  much , " criedAn n
r un nin g toh er; "M iss H arri et ,I 'dgo now, if I  wer eyo u."
"P er hapsI ha v e r emained  too long ,"s aidHa rr iet, ri sing.

"No,"sa id Mattie,  f eeb ly, "I h ave been  surprised by all thath as just 
ha ppene d. Y ou are no t t he cau se. " 

"I t hink I  woul dlie o n the b ed  ali ttle while , Mat tie,"  s aidHarriet .

"Don't go tillI  fe el better."
Mat tiel a yont he bed  a s  di r e cted; Harriet d id not res um e  h er seat, b u t
s to od with  one ar m ont he mant el-piece,  lookingth ough t f ull y before h er,
wher e no fanc y  pict u re s lin ger ed now .The re wa s a lo n g s ilenc e. Ann 
P acketplace dsome sme lling salts in Mattie's  hand,  andthe n sat ata
l i ttl e distanc e, w atching he r.Har rietret a inedherp os iti o n unt il
M a ttie drew th e b e d -c urtain furt h e r  ba ck an d l o oked a t he r.

?

"Break it_to her_by degrees before I_come," he_said_to Sidney;_"I'm_her
father--I have been_looking for her_all over the kingdom._Do me this
good_turn?"

"One_moment--I am going your way. Mattie understands it already."

"Sidney!" cried Harriet.

"I shall be back_in_a few_minutes,"_he_said, and then the local_preacher
and the banker's clerk went_out together.




CHAPTER_III.

FATHER AND DAUGHTER.


The three women left behind in_that_little room remained_silent from the
shock. They were amazed, perplexed. The sudden_excitement of the
preacher; the strange questions_he had asked_Harriet_Wesden_before the
name of Mattie_had changed the topic of conversation;_the presence of
Sidney Hinchford as a_witness to all this; his abrupt departure_with the
preacher--all tended to create doubt,_and suggest to one, at_least, the
presence_of danger.

Mattie had not given_much thought to_Sidney Hinchford's_appearance; the
preacher's excitement,_the return of a far-off thought_to her, had
rendered_all that had followed vague and_indistinct--the_scene had been
even_too_much_for her,_and she began_to_slowly close_her_eyes.

"I think she has been talked_and_worried to death too much," cried Ann
running_to her; "Miss Harriet,_I'd_go now, if I_were you."

"Perhaps I have remained_too long," said Harriet, rising.

"No," said_Mattie, feebly,_"I have_been surprised by all that has just
happened. You are not the_cause."

"I think I would lie on_the bed a little_while, Mattie,"_said_Harriet.

"Don't go till_I_feel better."

Mattie_lay on the bed as directed; Harriet_did not_resume her seat, but
stood with one_arm on the mantel-piece,_looking_thoughtfully before her,
where no fancy pictures_lingered now. There was a long_silence. Ann
Packet placed some smelling_salts_in_Mattie's hand, and then sat_at a
little distance, watching her. Harriet_retained her position_until
Mattie drew the bed-curtain further back and_looked_at her.
