heart, for she saw how he had clasped his hands before his face, to
hide the big tears which were trickling between his fingers.

* * * * * *

Many days passed quietly away after Jonathan's visit. Carmen's
soothing, cheering influence seemed to have somewhat allayed her
father's nervousness, and a calmer, more equable mood seemed to have
come over him, as his state of health daily improved. But the nameless
shadow of a hidden grief seemed to hang over him. For his wants he
needed but little; self-denial and sacrifice had grown to be a second
nature to him, his one earthly wish seeming to be to have a house where
he and Carmen could live alone together; but as regards others, he was
open-handed and generous to help wherever it was needed. It was a very
difficult matter to find just the right dwelling to suit his taste, so
he finally concluded to build, renting in the meantime a comfortable
suite of apartments for himself, while Carmen continued to live as
heretofore in the Sisters' house; giving the smaller children a few
hour's instruction, and passing the rest of the day with her father.
She had regained all her vivacity of manner, for she considered her
dear father her protector and support; little guessing that it was, in
reality, quite the contrary, as he looked to her as his stay on which
to lean. When alone with him, she allowed her naturally gay humor to
have full sway, and he would smile contentedly when he heard her
exquisite voice warbling forth, now a hymn, now a Spanish love-song, or
when he saw her feet, as if inspired, try a half-forgotten Spanish
dance, which seemed like a greeting to him from that tropical world
where he had loved and suffered. Sometimes she would caress him with
pretty, fascinating ways, as if her heart longed to lavish on him all
the tenderness which had been gathering intensity during all the long
years of separation.

"You are so like Inez! Gay and merry, like her," he would say with
emotion, his eyes beaming with love. Thus she would succeed in
charming away, for a few moments at least, the shadow which rested ever
on his brow; and this success gave her a pure happiness she had never
known before.

As the invalid grew stronger, every one hastened to visit him. The
elders wanted a full account of his missionary work in Mongolia, and of
the religious condition of the heathen in Bengal and the Himalayas; so
Mauer was at last obliged to consent to g