a
little season during which that small household was very happy.

He studied the young stranger attentively, and was more and more
prepossessed in his favor. They conversed frequently upon topics which Mr.
Abbot had long been in the habit of scoffing at, but there was an element
of reverence in Mr. Heath's nature that commanded his respect in spite of
preconceived ideas and a tendency to skepticism. His arguments were always
reasonable and convincing. He could not fail to feel this influence; and
it was not long before Virgie could see that a great change had taken
place in her father's feelings regarding his relations to an overruling
power and the future, which hitherto had seemed so vague and uncertain.

Yet, notwithstanding all this, he often experienced a feeling of
uneasiness.

He could not fail to perceive that Virgie was learning to care a great
deal for their new friend, and that Mr. Heath was deeply interested in his
daughter.

This was all well enough if Mr. Heath was what he appeared to be, and his
intentions were honorable.

But he could never quite divest himself of the feeling that there was
something rather mysterious in his desire to remain in that remote region,
and it would be terrible if any harm should result from it to his one ewe
lamb.

He had always guarded her so tenderly and carefully no breath of evil,
scarce a sorrow, save their one great sorrow, had ever touched her. Once
or twice the thought had come to him, prompted, no doubt, by the
circumstances which had driven him to that place, that the man might have
become entangled in some wrong or crime, and was hiding, like himself,
from the world and justice; and yet it was difficult to fancy that he was
not all that was honorable and upright, for his life and conduct from day
to day were beyond reproach.

"If they love each other, and he is all he seems, I could give her to
him, and feel more content than I ever thought to be," he said to himself,
while brooding upon the subject one afternoon while Virgie and her lover
were out on a ramble. "She would be far better off under the care and
protection of a kind husband, than she would be to send her to New York.
Her future would be settled, and there would be no fear on account of the
snares and temptations of society in the gay city.

"Still I really know nothing about him. He says nothing about himself, his
home, or his family. If it should turn out that he has a suspicion that
she w