As they talked on and on, Mary still sat silent and motionless. She
was hardly impatient any longer, for had she not her father's face to
watch, and his voice to listen to?

At length there was a pause; then the two gentlemen began to talk about
the lovely scenery around them, the river, the estate, the Phillips
mansion and family, and finally Mr. Raeburn said, "I think I have
heard, Mr. Phillips, a sad story of your having once lost a little
child in some mysterious way. Perhaps at this remote day you will not
be unwilling to give me the facts of this loss."

"Certainly not, my dear sir," replied Mr. Phillips, "if you care to
hear so melancholy a tale. All I myself know can be soon told. Our
first child was a daughter,--a lovely, engaging little creature, the
very light of our eyes. She was rather delicate, and most carefully
tended and watched till she was past three years of age. Then, one
summer day, I invited my wife to accompany me to New York, where I had
business, and she had--as what woman has not?--shopping to attend to.
She hesitated, as little Mary's nurse was young and rather thoughtless,
but I over-persuaded her and she went, giving at the last moment many
charges to the young girl concerning the child.

"I remember how lovingly little Mary kissed us good by that morning,
and how, still unsatisfied, she ran after the carriage, commanding the
coachman, in a pretty, imperious way she had, to stop till she could
get another kiss. I was a little vexed, fearing we should miss the
train, yet she was obeyed, lifted up, kissed, and put down into her
nurse's arms, and that was the last we ever saw of her. How thankful I
have always been that we stopped for her good-by kiss. Many a time
since, in my sleep, I have felt that last kiss on my lips.

"We had intended to stay till the afternoon of the next day, in New
York, but at evening Mrs. Phillips grew so strangely anxious about her
baby girl, whom she had never before left for a night, that we took a
late train for home. Just as we reached our station, I noticed a New
York boat put off from the landing. I have since thought it was
possible our child was on that boat."

Here Mary could scarcely restrain herself from crying out, "She was!
she was!" but she shut her lips and clasped her hands tight, and was
still.

"When we reached home," continued Mr. Phillips, "we found all in
confusion and consternation, Our darling little one was missing! She
ha