think it necessary to
give any further information. Fanny soon retired to her own chamber,
there to commune with her thoughts, and to seek, in tears, relief to
her oppressed feelings.

The meeting of Claire with Fanny, on his return home, was affecting.
She met him with a quivering lip and moistened eyes, and, as she
laid her cheek against his breast, murmured in a sad, yet deeply
affectionate voice--

"My father!"

"My own dear child!" quickly replied Claire, with emotion.

And then both stood for some time silent. Leading her to a seat,
Claire said tenderly--

"I have always loved you truly, and now you are dearer to me than
ever."

"My more than father," was her simple response.

"My own dear child!" said Mr. Claire, kissing her fondly. "We have
ever blessed the day on which you came to us from God."

Words would only have mocked their feelings, and so but few words
passed between them, yet how full of thoughts crowding upon thoughts
were their minds--how over-excited their hearts with new emotions of
love.

After the younger members of the family had retired on that evening,
Mr. and Mrs. Claire and Fanny were alone together. All three were in
a calmer state of mind. Fanny listened with deep attention, her hand
shading her countenance so as to conceal its varying expression, to
a brief history of her parentage. Of things subsequent to the time of
her entrance into her present home, but little was said. There was
an instinctive delicacy on the part of Claire and his wife, now that
Fanny was about coming into the possession of property, which kept
back all allusion to the sacrifices they had made, and the pain they
had suffered on her account, in their contentions with her guardian.
In fact, this matter of property produced with them a feeling of
embarrassment. They had no mercenary thoughts in regard to it--had
no wish to profit by their intimate and peculiar relation. And yet,
restricted in their own income, and with a family growing daily more
expensive, they understood but too well the embarrassment which
would follow, if any very important change were made in their present
external relations. To explain every thing to Fanny, would, they knew,
lead to an instant tender of all she possessed. But this they
could not do; nor had they a single selfish desire in regard to her
property. If things could remain as they were, without injustice to
Fanny, they would be contented; but they were not altogether sat