ette's eyes glowed. "Let them say what they will. I know I can trust
_him_, but if he wants to give me up for that, he may. If father wishes
to stay, he shall, and nothing that they can do to him will ever make
him different to us. If he tells us that he didn't mean anything wrong,
that will be enough; and people may say what they please, and think what
they please."

Northwick listened with a confused air. He looked from one to the other,
as if beaten back and forth between them; he started violently, when
Adeline almost screamed out: "Oh, you don't know what you're talking
about! Father, tell her you don't _wish_ to stay!"

"I must go, Suzette; I had better go--"

"Here, drink this tea, now, and it will give you a little strength."
Adeline pressed the cup on him that she had been getting ready through
all, and made him drain it. "Now, then, hurry, hurry, hurry, father! Say
good-by! You've got to go, now--yes, you've _got_ to!--but it won't be
for long. You've seen us, and you've found out we're alive and well, and
now we can write--be sure you write, father, when you get back there;
or, you'd better telegraph--and we can arrange--I know we can--for you
to come home, and stay home."

"Home! Home!" Northwick murmured.

"It seems as if he wanted to _kill_ me!" Adeline sobbed into her hands.
She took them away. "Well, _stay_, then!" she said.

"No, no! I'll go," said Northwick. "You're not to blame, Adeline. It's
all right--all for the best. I'll go--"

"And let us know where you are, when you get there, this time, father!"
said Adeline.

"Yes, I will."

"And we will come to you, there," Suzette put in. "We can live together
in Canada, as well as here."

Northwick shook his head. "It's not the same. I can't get used to it;
their business methods are different. I couldn't put my capital into any
of their enterprises. I've looked the whole ground over. And--and I want
to get back into our place."

He said these things vaguely, almost dryly, but with an air of final
conviction, as after much sober reflection. He sat down, but Adeline
would not let him be. "Well, then, we'll help you to think out some way
of getting back, after we're all there together. Go; it'll soon begin to
be light, and I'm afraid somebody'll see you, and stop you! But oh, my
goodness! How are you going? You can't walk! And if you try to start
from our depot, they'll know you, some one, and they'll arrest you. What
shall we do?"

"I came o