want to talk
over with you. I want to get settled; and all the work on the farm is
belated: and I can't have the place run behindhand; that would worry
father so."

The tears stood in her eyes, but she spoke in as matter-of-course a tone
as if she had simply come as her father's messenger to ask advice. The
old deacon pushed his spectacles high upon his forehead, and, throwing
his head back, looked at Hetty a moment, scrutinizingly, in silence.
Then, he said, half to himself, half to her,--

"You're your grandfather all over, Hetty. Now let me know what I can
help you about. You can always come to me, as long as I 'm alive, Hetty.
You know that."

"Yes," said Hetty, walking back and forth in the little room, rapidly.
"You are the only person I shall ever ask any thing of in that way."

"Sit down, Hetty, sit down," said the old man. "You must be all worn
out."

"Oh, no! I 'm not tired: I was never tired in my life," replied Hetty.
"Let me walk: it does me good to walk; I walked nearly all last night;
it seems to be something to do. You see, Mr. Little," she said,--pausing
suddenly, and folding her arms on her breast, as she looked at him,--"I
don't quite see my way clear yet; and one must see one's way clear
before one can be quiet. It's horrible to grope."

"Yes, yes, child," said the deacon, hesitatingly. He did not understand
metaphor. "You are not thinking of going away, are you, Hetty?"

"Going away!" exclaimed Hetty. "Why, what do you mean? How could I go
away? Besides, I wouldn't go for any thing in the world. What should I
go away for?"

"Well, I'm real glad to hear you say so, Hetty," replied the deacon
warmly; "some folks have said, you'd most likely sell the farm, and go
away."

"What fools! I'd as soon sell myself," said Hetty, curtly. "But I can't
live there all alone. And one thing I wanted to ask you about tonight
was, whether you thought it would do for your James and his wife to
come and live there with me: I would give him a good salary as a sort of
overseer. Of course, I should expect to control every thing; and that's
not much more than I have done for three or four years: but the men will
do better with a man to give them their orders, than they will with me
alone. I could do this better with Jim than I could with a stranger.
I've always liked Jim."

Deacon Little did not reply. His eyes were fixed on the ground, and his
face flushed with agitation. At last he said huskily,--

"Would