inger on the painful paragraph, and signed to him to read it. Amos
did so with a beating heart and troubled brow. "Anything amiss,
father?" asked Walter, noticing the grave look on the faces of Mr
Huntingdon and his brother. The squire made no reply, but, holding out
his hand for the paper, passed it to his younger son. Julia, looking
up, noticed the flushed face of her brother, and, before her father
could prevent her, sprang up and, leaning over Walter's shoulder, read
the article. Then, with a wild cry, she rushed out of the room.

"Oh! what is the trouble?" exclaimed Miss Huntingdon in a tone of great
distress. Once more the paper was passed on, and she read the
humiliating paragraph.

All were silent for a while. Then Miss Huntingdon said, "I must go to
poor Julia."

"Do so," said the squire; "but come back as soon as you can."

His sister soon returned, saying that her niece had been much upset by
what she had read, but would be better shortly.

"And now," said Mr Huntingdon, "I want to know if Julia was aware who
the signor was at the time when the accident happened."

"She was," said Walter sorrowfully.

"And could she leave her wretched husband, wounded and perhaps dying,
without an attempt to see that he was properly cared for?"

"Father," replied Walter, "it was so, and I deeply grieve over it. I
tried to persuade her at the time--for we both knew him too well as he
lay on the ground at our feet senseless and bleeding--I tried to
persuade her that it was her duty to go with him; but she would not hear
of it; she insisted on returning home at once, and said that he would be
well looked after at the hospital, and that if she were to go to him he
would only swear at her. So at last I gave it up; and she would not be
pacified till I promised not to mention to any one that I knew the
wretched man to be her husband. I suppose I was wrong in giving this
promise,--I have never felt comfortable about it; but she was so
miserable till I made it that I gave her my word; and that is just how
it was."

"I quite understand you," said his father. "Poor Julia! we must make
allowances for her; but she has plainly fallen short of her duty in the
matter. I trust, however, that she has now had a wholesome lesson, poor
thing, and that for her children's sake, and all our sakes, she will be
content with her own home, and more ready to fulfil her duties as a
mother."

Amos did not speak, but he was deeply mo