p at the front door.

"There!" cried the old man; "what did I say? Here he is."

Before the front door could be opened, Kitty, who had been awakened by
the knock, came in looking scared and strange.

"Don," she said; "I have been asleep. Has he come back?"

"Yes I think this is he," said the old man gently. "Come here, my pet;
don't shrink like that. I'm not angry."

"If you please, sir," said Jessie, "here's a woman from the yard."

"Mrs Wimble?"

"Yes, sir; and can she speak to you a minute?"

"Yes, I'll come--no, show her in here. News. An ambassador, Laura,"
said the old man with a grim smile, as Jessie went out. "There, Kitty,
my dear, don't cry. It will be all right soon."

At that moment little Mrs Wimble entered, white cheeked, red-eyed, limp
and miserable looking, the very opposite of the trim little Sally who
lorded it over her patient husband.

"Mrs Wimble!" cried Mrs Lavington, catching the little woman's arm
excitedly; "you have brought some news about my son."

"No," moaned Sally, with a passionate burst of sobs. "Went out
tea-time, and never come back all night."

"Yes, yes, we know that," said Uncle Josiah sternly; "but how did you
know?"

"Know, sir? I've been sitting up for him all this dreadful night."

"What, for my nephew?"

"No, sir, for my Jem."

"Lindon--James Wimble!" said Uncle Josiah, as he sank back in his seat.
"Impossible! It can't be true."

CHAPTER TEN.

GONE!

"Speak, woman!" cried Mrs Lavington hoarsely; and she shook little
Sally by the arm. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know, ma'am. I'm in such trouble," sobbed Sally. "I've been a
very, very wicked girl--I mean woman. I was always finding fault, and
scolding him."

"Why?" asked Uncle Josiah sternly.

"I don't know, sir."

"But he is a quiet industrious man, and I'm sure he is a good husband."

"Yes, he's the best of husbands," sobbed Sally.

"Then why did you scold him?"

"Because I was so wicked, I suppose. I couldn't help it, sir."

"But you think he has run away?"

"Yes, sir; I'm sure of it. He said he would some day if I was so cruel,
and that seemed to make me more cruel, and--and--he has gone."

"It is impossible!" said Uncle Josiah. "He must have met with some
accident."

"No, sir, he has run away and left me. He said he would. I saw him
go--out of the window, and he took a bundle with him, and--and--what
shall I do? What shall I do?"

"Took a bundle?" said Uncl