dent to remain away a while, as his presence might be an intru-
sion. From the first he had felt sure that the individual thrown
upon his charity was not a low, vulgar person, as his sister
seemed to think. He had not yet seen her face distinctly, for it
lay in the shadow, but the long, flowing hair, the delicate hands,
the pure white neck, of which he had caught a glimpse as his
mother unfastened the stiffened dress, all these had made an
impression, and involuntarily repeating to himself, " Poor girl,
poor girl," he strode a second time across the drifts which lay
in his back yard, and was soon pounding at old Chloe's cabin
door, bidding her and Hannah dress at once and come imme-
diately to the house.
  An indignant growl at being thus aroused from her first sleep
was Chloe's only response, but Hugh knew that his orders were
being obeyed.
  The change of atmosphere and restoratives applied had done
their work, and Mrs. Worthington saw that the long eyelashes
began to tremble, while a faint color stole into the hitherto
colorless cheeks, and at last the large, brown eyes unclosed and
looked into hers with an expression so mournful, so beseeching,
that a thrill of yearning tenderness for the desolate young crea-
ture shot through her heart, and bending down she said, " Are
you better now "
  "Yes, thank you. Where is Willie" was the low response,
the tone thrilling Mrs. Worthington again with emotion.
  Even 'Lina started, it was so musical, and coming near she
answered: " If it's the baby you mean, he is here, playing with
Rover."
  There was a look of gratitude in the brown eyes, which closed
again wearily. With her eyes thus closed, 'Lina had a fair op-
portunity to scan the beautiful face, with its delicately-chiseled
features, and the wealth of lustrous brown hair, sweeping back
from the open forehead, on which there was perceptible a faint
line, which 'Lina stooped down to examine.
  "Mother, mother," she whispered, drawing back, "look, is
not that a mark just like mine"
  Thus appealed to, Mrs. Worthington, too, bent down, but,
upon a closer scrutiny, the mark seemed only a small, blue vein.
  " She's pretty," she said. " I wonder why I feel so drawn
toward her"
  'Lina was about to reply, when again the brown eyes looked
up, and the stranger asked hesitatingly:



la



BAD HUGH