she replied, with a look of pride upon her little daughter and
the sleeping infant on the sofa; "these are my little family."

Mr. Awtry took the little girl upon his knees and commenced caressing
it, and, after remaining for a few moments in unimportant
conversation, took his departure with the promise to call at some
future time.

As soon as he left Mrs. Wentworth sat down, and resting her hands on
the table, spoke to herself on the visit she had received. "What could
have induced him to pay me this visit?" she said, musingly; "it is
strange--very strange that he should choose this particular time to
renew our acquaintance! He spoke honestly, however, and may be sincere
in his offers of assistance, should I ever need anything. He is
wealthy, and can certainly aid me." She sat there musing, until the
little girl, coming up to her, twined her tiny arms round her mother's
neck, and asked if it was not time to light the gas.

"Yes, darling," said Mrs. Wentworth, kissing her fondly; "call Betsy
and let her get a light."

After the negro had lit the gas, Mrs. Wentworth said to her, "Should
that gentleman, who was here to-day, call at any time again, let me
know before you admit him."

"Yes, mistis," replied the negro with a curtsey.

CHAPTER THIRD.

MR. HORACE AWTRY.

Mr. Horace Awtry was a native of the State of New York, and was, at
the time of writing, about thirty-live years of age. He was a tall and
well-formed man, with light hair clustering in curls on a broad and
noble looking forehead; his features were well chiselled, and his
upper lip was ornamented with a mustache of the same color as his
hair. Notwithstanding his handsome features and extravagant display of
dress, there was an expression in his dark blue eyes, which, though
likely to captivate the young and innocent portion of the fair sex,
was not deemed elegant by those who are accustomed to read the
features of man. He was very wealthy, but was a perfect type of the
_roue_, although a good education and remarkable control of himself
rendered it difficult for his acquaintances to charge him with
dissipation, or any conduct unworthy of ft gentleman. As this
gentleman will occupy a somewhat conspicuous position in our tale, we
deem it necessary to go into these particulars.

Some seven years previous to her marriage, and while yet a child, Mrs.
Wentworth, with her father, the only surviving relative she had, spent
the summer at Saratoga Spr