, in his excitement, the Quaker speech he had learned.

"Thee needn't use compliments now! Asenath shall be a Friend while _I_
live; thy fine clothes and merry-makings and vanities are not for
her. Thee belongs to the world, and thee may choose one of the world's
women."

"Never!" protested Richard; but Friend Mitchenor was already ascending
the garden-steps on his way to the house.

The young man, utterly overwhelmed, wandered to the nearest grove and
threw himself on the ground. Thus, in a miserable chaos of emotion,
unable to grasp any fixed thought, the hours passed away. Towards
evening, he heard a footstep approaching, and sprang up. It was Moses.

The latter was engaged, with the consent of his parents and expected
to "pass meeting" in a few weeks. He knew what had happened, and felt a
sincere sympathy for Richard, for whom he had a cordial regard. His face
was very grave, but kind.

"Thee'd better come in, Richard," said he; "the evenings are damp, and I
v'e brought thy overcoat. I know everything, and I feel that it must be
a great cross for thee. But thee won't be alone in bearing it."

"Do you think there is no hope of your father relenting?" he asked, in a
tone of despondency which anticipated the answer.

"Father's very hard to move," said Moses; "and when mother and Asenath
can't prevail on him, nobody else need try. I'm afraid thee must make up
thy mind to the trial. I'm sorry to say it, Richard, but I think thee'd
better go back to town."

"I'll go to-morrow,--go and die!" he muttered hoarsely, as he followed
Moses to the house.

Abigail, as she saw his haggard face, wept quietly. She pressed his hand
tenderly, but said nothing. Eli was stern and cold as an Iceland rock.
Asenath did not make her appearance. At supper, the old man and his son
exchanged a few words about the farm-work to be done on the morrow, but
nothing else was said. Richard soon left the room and went up to
his chamber to spend his last, his only unhappy night at the farm. A
yearning, pitying look from Abigail accompanied him.

"Try and not think hard of us!" was her farewell the next morning, as
he stepped into the old chair, in which Moses was to convey him to the
village where he should meet the Doylestown stage. So, without a word
of comfort from Asenath's lips, without even a last look at her beloved
face, he was taken away.

IV.

True and firm and self-reliant as was the nature of Asenath Mitchenor,
the tho