vidence, I trust, will not smile on such desperate efforts to do
wrong!" said Mary Warren, solemnly.

"One hardly dare look into the inscrutable ways of a Power that has its
motives so high beyond our reach. Providence permits much evil to be
done, and is very apt to be, as Frederic of Prussia expressed it, on the
side of strong battalions, so far as human vision can penetrate. Of one
thing, however, I feel certain, and that is that they who are now the
most eager to overturn everything to effect present purposes, will be
made to repent of it bitterly, either in their own persons, or in those
of their descendants."

"That is what is meant, my father says, by visiting 'the sins of the
fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generations.' But
there is the party, with their prisoners, just entering the village. Who
is your companion, Mr. Littlepage?--One hired to act as an assistant?"

"It is my uncle, himself. You have often heard, I should think, of Mr.
Roger Littlepage?"

Mary gave a little exclamation at hearing this, and she almost laughed.
After a short pause she blushed brightly, and turned to me as she said--

"And my father and I have supposed you, the one a pedlar, and the other
a street-musician!"

"But bedlars and moosic-grinders of goot etications, as might be
panishet for deir bolitics."

Now, indeed, she laughed out, for the long and frank dialogue we had
held together made this change to broken English seem as if a third
person had joined us. I profited by the occasion to exhort the dear girl
to be calm, and not to feel any apprehension on the subject of her
father. I pointed out how little probable it was that violence would be
offered to a minister of the gospel, and showed her, by the number of
persons that had collected in the village, that it was impossible he
should not have many warm and devoted friends present. I also gave her
permission to, nay, requested she would, tell Mr. Warren the fact of my
uncle's and my own presence, and the reasons of our disguises, trusting
altogether to the very obvious interest the dear girl took in our
safety, that she would add, of her own accord, the necessary warning on
the subject of secresy. Just as this conversation ended we drove into
the hamlet, and I helped my fair companion to alight.

Mary Warren now hastened to seek her father, while I was left to take
care of the horse. This I did by fastening him to the rails of a fence,
that was lin