er speedy reunion
with her dead husband! 'Write to thine uncle, Ralph Hickson, Salem, New
England (put it down, child, on thy tablets), and say that I, Henrietta
Barclay, charge him, for the sake of all he holds dear in heaven or on
earth,--for his salvation's sake, as well as for the sake of the old
home at Lester-bridge,--for the sake of the father and mother that gave
us birth, as well as for the sake of the six little children who lie
dead between him and me,--that he take thee into his home as if thou
wert his own flesh and blood, as indeed thou art. He has a wife and
children of his own, and no one need fear having thee, my Lois, my
darling, my baby, among his household. Oh, Lois, would that thou wert
dying with me! The thought of thee makes death sore!' Lois comforted
her mother more than herself, poor child, by promises to obey her dying
wishes to the letter, and by expressing hopes she dared not feel of her
uncle's kindness.

'Promise me'--the dying woman's breath came harder and harder--'that
thou wilt go at once. The money our goods will bring--the letter thy
father wrote to Captain Holdernesse, his old schoolfellow--thou knowest
all I would say--my Lois, God bless thee!'

Solemnly did Lois promise; strictly she kept her word. It was all the
more easy, for Hugh Lucy met her, and told her, in one great burst of
love, of his passionate attachment, his vehement struggles with his
father, his impotence at present, his hope and resolves for the future.
And, intermingled with all this, came such outrageous threats and
expressions of uncontrolled vehemence, that Lois felt that in Barford
she must not linger to be a cause of desperate quarrel between father
and son, while her absence might soften down matters, so that either
the rich old miller might relent, or--and her heart ached to think of
the other possibility--Hugh's love might cool, and the dear play-fellow
of her childhood learn to forget. If not--if Hugh were to be trusted in
one tithe of what he said--God might permit him to fulfil his resolve
of coming to seek her out before many years were over. It was all in
God's hands, and that was best, thought Lois Barclay.

She was roused out of her trance of recollections by Captain
Holdernesse, who, having done all that was necessary in the way of
orders and directions to his mate, now came up to her, and, praising
her for her quiet patience, told her that he would now take her to the
Widow Smith's, a decent ki