yes
widening, all her features in a tumult. Then she fell upon her knees,
covered her face with both hands, and cried out:

"Oh, my God! is this good man my father? Are these the thrills of joy
that a child knows for its parent?"

A man who had opened the door of Olympia's boudoir was arrested on the
threshold by these words.

Olympia saw him and sank to a chair, laughing maliciously.

"Ask him," she said, pointing to the man; "ask him. Don't look so
astonished, Brown. I have told her all about it, and you see how white
it has made her. She does not seem to relish you for a father much more
than she does the stage!"

Caroline dashed the tears from her eyes, and arose, with a smile
breaking through the scattered moisture.

"Not like him! He has always been kind, good, generous. I did not need
this to make me love him. Father, _my_ father! how many times I have
called you so, but this is real! Oh, God be thanked that you are my
father!"

"Ask him how he intends to support you," broke in Olympia, washing her
hands over again in dumb show, and drawing in her breath till it hissed
through her white teeth, as if a snake had crept up from her bad heart.

"I _will_ support her! God helping me, I will! Don't feel down-hearted,
my poor child. You shall not be ashamed of me. For your sake I will do
anything. I can go into an orchestra."

"What! I ashamed of you, my father? Why, it gives us to each other. I
have something in this wide world to love!"

Brown's eyes filled with tears. He was trembling violently.

"Father, my dear father!" murmured Caroline, drawing close to him, with
a feeling that he was all the friend she had in the world, "do not look
so troubled. This gives me such joy that I cannot bear to see tears in
your eyes, my father."

Brown did not speak; he had no power of voice, but stood, with her hands
in his, looking into her face in pathetic silence.

Olympia arose.

"It is a pretty scene, and well acted," she said; "but I am tired of
being sole audience. When you have settled upon anything, I shall have
the pleasure of bidding you farewell. I must go to rehearsal now. When I
come back, it will be convenient to have the house to myself. I give a
little supper this evening, and I remember you do not exactly approve of
my little suppers, and, for the world, would not shock the young lady!
Good morning, Caroline. Good morning, Brown. You see our pretty
experiment has failed, and we have got to part a