below. "What's wanted now?" demanded the old man as soon as he heard
her. "Father, I must speak to you," she said. "Father, you must come
down to me." Then he came down slowly, without a word, and stood
before her waiting to hear her tidings. "Father," she said, "there is
some one in the house, and I have come to tell you."

"Sam has come, then?" said he; and she could see that there was a
sparkle of joy in his eye as he spoke. Oh, if she could only make the
return of that other child as grateful to him as would have been the
return of his son!

"No, father; it isn't Sam."

"Who be it, then?" The tone of his voice, and the colour and bearing
of his face were changed as he asked the question. She saw at once
that he had guessed the truth. "It isn't--it isn't--?"

"Yes, father; it is Carry." As she spoke she came close to him,
and strove to take his hand; but he thrust both his hands into his
pockets and turned himself half away from her. "Father, she is our
flesh and blood; you will not turn against her now that she has come
back to us, and is sorry for her faults."

"She is a--" But his other daughter had stopped his mouth with her
hand before the word had been uttered.

"Father, who among us has not done wrong at times?"

"She has disgraced my gray hairs, and made me a reproach and a shame.
I will not see her. Bid her begone. I will not speak to her or look
at her. How came she there? When did she come?"

Then Fanny told her father the whole story,--everything as it
occurred, and did not forget to add her own conviction that Carry's
life had been decent in all respects since the Vicar had found a home
for her in Salisbury. "You would not have it go on like that, father.
She is naught to our parson."

"I will pay. As long as there is a shilling left, I will pay for her.
She shall not live on the charity of any man, whether parson or no
parson. But I will not see her. While she be here you may just send
me my vittels to the mill. If she be not gone afore night, I will
sleep here among the sacks."

She stayed with him till the labourer came, and then she returned to
the house, having failed as yet to touch his heart. She went back and
told her story to her mother, and then a part of it to Carry who was
still in bed. Indeed, she had found her mother by Carry's bedside,
and had to wait till she could separate them before she could tell
any story to either. "What does he say of me, Fan?" asked the poor
sinner. "