that they
had no one now to take care of them. Sarah M'Gowan, the Black Prophet's
daughter, has catched the sickness, and is lyin' in a shed there beyant,
that a poor thravellin' family was in about a week ago. Mrs. Dalton says
her own family isn't worse wid the sickness, but betther, she thinks;
but she was cryin', the daicent craythur, and she says they'll die
wid neglect and starvation, for she must be out, and there's no one to
attend to them, and they have nothing but the black wather, God help
them!"

While he spoke, Mave's eyes were fastened upon him, as if the sentence
of her own life or death was about to issue from his lip. Gradually,
however, she breathed more freely; a pale red tinged her cheek for a
moment, after which, a greater paleness settled upon it again.

The pedlar shook his head. "Ah," he exclaimed, "they are hard times,
sure enough; may the Lord bring us all safe through them! Well, I see
I'm not likely to make my fortune among you," he added, smiling, "so
I must tramp on, but any way, I must thank you for house-room and your
civility."

"I'd offer something to ait," said Mrs. Sullivan, with evident pain,
"but the truth is--"

"Not a morsel," replied the other, "if the house was overflown.'. God
bless you all--God bless you."

Mave, almost immediately after her brother had concluded, passed to
another room, and returned just as the old pedlar had gone out. She
instantly followed him with a hasty step; while he, on hearing her foot,
turned round.

"You told me that you admired my hair," she said, on coming up to him.
"Now, supposin' I'm willin' to sell it to you, what ought I to get for
it?"

"Don't be alarmed by what they say inside," replied the pedlar; "any
regular doctor would tell that, in these times, it's safer to part wid
it--that I may be happy but I'm tellin' you thruth. What is it worth?
What are you axin?"

"I don't know; but for God's sake cut it off, and give me the most you
can afford for it. Oh! believe me, it's not on account of the mere value
of it, but the money may save lives."

"Why, achora, what do you intend doin' wid the money, if it's a fair
question to ax?"

"It's not a fair question for a stranger--it's enough for me to tell you
that I'll do nothing with it without my father and mother's knowledge.
Here, Denny," she said, addressing her brother, who was on his way to
the stable, "slip a stool through the windy, an' stay wid me in the
barn--I want to send yo