e him there; and I
trembled, too. Oh, Barbara, it was a distressing dream!"

"I wish you could avoid having them, mamma, for they seem to upset you
very much."

"Why did you ask whether the man was tall, and had black hair?"

Barbara returned an evasive answer. It would not do to tell Mrs. Hare
that her suspicions pointed to one particular quarter; it would have
agitated her too greatly.

So vivid was the dream, she could scarcely persuade herself, when she
awoke, that it was not real, and the murderer actually at West Lynne.

"Oh, Barbara, Barbara!" she exclaimed, in a wailing tone, "when will
this mystery be cleared, and my own restored to me? Seven years since he
stole here to see us, and no tidings yet."

"People say that changes come every seven years, mamma," said Barbara,
hopefully; "but I will go down and send you up some more tea."

"And guard your countenance well," returned her mother. "Don't let your
father suspect anything. Remember his oath to bring Richard to justice.
If he thought we dwelt on his innocence, there is no knowing what he
might do to find him, he is so very just."

"So very cruel and unnatural, I call it, mamma. But never fear my
betraying anything. But have you heard about Joyce?"

"No. What is it?"

"She had a severe fall while playing with little Isabel, and it is said
she will be confined to bed for several weeks. I am very sorry for her."
And, composing her face, she descended to the breakfast-room.

The dinner hour at the Hares', when they were alone, was four o'clock
and it arrived that day as usual, and they sat down to table. Mrs. Hare
was better then; the sunshine and the business of stirring life had in
some measure effaced the visions of the night, and restored her to her
wonted frame of mind.

The cloth removed, the justice sat but a little while over his port
wine, for he was engaged to smoke an after-dinner pipe with a brother
magistrate, Mr. Justice Herbert.

"Shall you be home to tea, papa?" inquired Barbara.

"Is it any business of yours, young lady?"

"Oh, not in the least," answered Miss Barbara. "Only if you had been
coming home to tea, I suppose we must have waited, had you not been in
time."

"I thought you said, Richard, that you were going to stay the evening
with Mr. Herbert?" observed Mrs. Hare.

"So I am," responded the justice. "But Barbara has a great liking for
the sound of her own tongue."

The justice departed, striding pompously down t