feeling the incongruity
of her position, while he felt it as a direct reproof.

"She ought not to carry that," he thought. A great wave of sympathy
swept over him. He took her cheeks between his hands, this time in a
superior and more generous way. "Never mind, little girl," he said.
"You won't have to do this always. I'll see what I can do."

The outcome of this was simply a more sympathetic relationship
between them. He did not hesitate to ask her to sit beside him on the
arm of his chair the next time she came, and to question her
intimately about the family's condition and her own desires. Several
times he noticed that she was evading his questions, particularly in
regard to what her father was doing. She was ashamed to own that he
was sawing wood. Fearing lest something more serious was impending, he
decided to go out some day and see for himself.

This he did when a convenient morning presented itself and his
other duties did not press upon him. It was three days before the
great fight in the Legislature began which ended in his defeat.
Nothing could be done in these few remaining days. So he took his cane
and strolled forth, coming to the cottage in the course of a half
hour, and knocked boldly at the door.

Mrs. Gerhardt opened it.

"Good-morning," he said, cheerily; then, seeing her hesitate, he
added, "May I come in?"

The good mother, who was all but overcome by his astonishing
presence, wiped her hands furtively upon her much-mended apron, and,
seeing that he waited for a reply, said:

"Oh yes. Come right in."

She hurried forward, forgetting to close the door, and, offering
him a chair, asked him to be seated.

Brander, feeling sorry that he was the occasion of so much
confusion, said: "Don't trouble yourself, Mrs. Gerhardt. I was passing
and thought I'd come in. How is your husband?"

"He's well, thank you," returned the mother. "He's out working
to-day."

"Then he has found employment?"

"Yes, sir," said Mrs. Gerhardt, who hesitated, like Jennie, to say
what it was.

"The children are all well now, and in school, I hope?"

"Yes," replied Mrs. Gerhardt. She had now unfastened her apron, and
was nervously turning it in her lap.

"That's good, and where is Jennie?"

The latter, who had been ironing, had abandoned the board and had
concealed herself in the bedroom, where she was busy tidying herself
in the fear that her mother would not have the forethought to say that
she was out, and