father would be an evil, I could never risk to encounter. I
will obey you, sir."

"I am not satisfied," thought the old gentleman, as he left his son,
after a few more moments of conversation. "I am not satisfied. I will
watch them closely, and in the course of the day speak to Alice."

An opportunity soon offered. He found himself alone with Alice, after
tea.

"Alice," he commenced, "I wish to make a confidant of you;" and he
proceeded to unfold to her, at some length, his ambitious projects for
his son, and concluded by giving her to understand, pretty distinctly,
that he wished his son to select a wealthy bride, and that any other
one would never be received by him as his daughter.

"I think I understand, although I cannot entirely sympathize with you,
my dear uncle," said Alice, in a low, trembling tone. "All this has
been said for my edification. That your mind may be perfectly at rest
on this subject, I must say what may be deemed presumptuous: I would
not, could not marry your son, either with or without your consent, or
under any circumstances whatever."

"Alice! my dear Alice! How could you suppose I made any allusion to
you? Oh! Alice, Alice!"

And the old man talked himself into a fit of remorse, sure enough. He
believed Alice, although he could not believe his son. The old
gentleman's uneasiness was not entirely dispelled; for, although Alice
might not now love Richard, yet time could make a great change in her
sentiments.

Alice Raymond, the orphan niece of Colonel Delany, was the daughter
of an officer in the British army. Mr. Raymond was the youngest son of
an old, wealthy and haughty family in Dorsetshire, England. At a very
early age he married the youngest sister of Colonel Delany. Having
nothing but his pay, all the miseries of an improvident marriage fell
upon the young couple. The same hour that gave existence to Alice,
deprived her of her mother. The facilities to ambition offered by
America, and the hope of distracting his grief, induced Mr. Raymond to
dispose of his commission, and embark for the Western World. Another
object which, though the last named, was the first in deciding him to
cross the Atlantic. This object was to place his little Alice in the
arms of her maternal grandmother, the elder Mrs. Delany, then a widow,
and a resident under the roof of her son, Colonel Delany. A few weeks
after the sailing of the ship in which, with his infant daughter, Mr.
Raymond took passage, the