he great happiness coming into my life. But the home to
which Reuben will take me must be even dearer than this. And thou
wilt come with us, sweet father, and make us happy by thy
presence!"

"Ay, child, if thou wilt have the homeless old man who has managed
his affairs so ill as to have to start life afresh when he should
be thinking of resigning his work into other hands, and passing his
old age in peace and--"

But Gertrude stopped him with a kiss.

"Thou art not old, father; and I trow before thou art, a peaceful
and prosperous old age will be in store for thee. Whilst Reuben and
I live, nothing shall lack to thee that filial love can bestow. O
dearest father! methinks there are bright and happy days before us
yet."

"I trust so--I trust so, my child, for thee especially. For thou
dost deserve them. Thou hast been a good daughter, and wilt make a
good wife."

"My heart misgives me sometimes that I was not always so tender a
daughter to poor mother as I fain would have been. May God pardon
me in whatever way I may have erred!"

"The error was more hers than thine," answered the father with a
sigh; "and mine too, inasmuch as I checked her not early, as I
perchance might have done. She would have wed thee with some needy
and perhaps evil-living gallant, who would have taken thee for thy
fortune. Thou hast done far better to choose such an honest, godly
youth as Reuben. He will make thee an excellent husband."

"Ah, will he not!" said Gertrude, her face alight with tender love.
"Poor mother did not understand what she was doing in striving to
banish him from the house. But methinks, in the land of spirits all
these things are seen aright; and that if it is permitted to the
dead to know aught of what passes in the land they have left
behind, she will be rejoicing with us today."

"Heaven send it may be so! My poor wife," and the father heaved a
great sigh of mixed feelings, "it is well she has not lived to see
this end to her schemings to be rich. At least she is spared the
knowledge of her husband's ruin."

"Nay, call it not that, dear father. Master Harmer says that things
are beginning to look up again after the terrible visitation, and
surely your affairs will look up likewise."

"In a measure, yes," he answered. "I have at least sold the old
house for a better sum than I expected; and the purchaser has
bought all the rich furniture, save such things as I would not sell
for the sake of your poor mother