othered sobs beside him on the side of his chair toward which he chose
not to look.

"I will inquire," he said, hopefully, "and I know I can find him almost
immediately. Nothing has happened to hurt him. Sit here a moment and
wait for me."

Just outside the door Oldfield met Joseph. "Well, where is he?" he
asked.

"Mr. Oldfield, I tell you Mr. Chester has on a most awful jag, and he
fell and almost split open his skull Tuesday morning, and I've had him
over at the Barrett House ever since. The doctor has patched him up, but
he ain't fit to be seen, not by ladies."

"Pretty nervous, is he?"

"Nervous! Why, he's just missed snakes this time, that's all!"

"Oh, nonsense! He's not so bad as that; but I must go and see him. When
did you see him last?"

"Stayed all night with him, sir, and left him quite easy this morning.
Don't let the ladies see him, Mr. Oldfield; it would break him up."

"Break him up! What do you think about their own feelings!"

"Well, you see, he is dreading to go home, and to see her walk right in
on him would break him all up. It would so! He would have 'em sure
then."

"Joseph, you've got sense. Take this for any little thing you may need,"
said Oldfield, as he put a green colored piece of paper in Joseph's
hand, and turned back into the library where the waiting women sat.

"Your father is safe, Miss Chester," he said, softly to the pale,
anxious daughter, who ran to meet him; "you shall see him soon. I will
tell your mother all about it."

Miss Chester, expressing great relief, and, giving Oldfield her hand,
sat obediently down to the illustrated books and magazines he handed
her. She was quite out of earshot of the place where her mother sat
impatiently waiting for news.

"Your husband is all right, Mrs. Chester. He has met with a slight
accident, but is under a doctor's care at the Barrett House. I will go
to see him. Without doubt he will be able to go home in a day or two."

The wife nearly lost self-control, but as Oldfield talked on, reassuring
her of her husband's safety, she gradually became calm, and then the
look of settled hardness came back into her face.

"What shall I do?" she burst out. "How can I go on in such shame and
agony year after year? You're an old friend of Ned's, Mr.
Oldfield--excuse me--perhaps you can advise me."

"I want to," answered Oldfield, promptly. "But will you hear me without
becoming angry?"

"Certainly! I will be thankful for your advice,