e allus have a sixpence more for an extra meal!"

About eight Mr. Graham arose, and after a more than usually careful
toilet, he sat down to collect his scattered thoughts, for now that
the interview was so near, his ideas seemed suddenly to forsake him.
From the window he saw Durward depart for his walk, watching him
until he disappeared in the dim shadow of the woods.

"I will wait until his return, and let him tell her," thought he, but
when a half hour or more went by and Durward did not come, he
concluded to go down and ask to see her by himself.

In order to do this, it was necessary for him to pass 'Lena's room,
the door of which was ajar. She was awake, and hearing his step,
thought it was Mrs. Aldergrass, and called to her. A thrill of
exquisite delight ran through his frame at the sound of her voice,
and for an instant he debated the propriety of going to her at once.
A second call decided him, and in a moment he was at her bedside,
clasping her in his arms, and exclaiming, "My precious 'Lena! My
_daughter_! Has nothing ever told you that I am your father, the
husband of your angel mother, who lives again in her child--_my_
child--my 'Lena?"

For a moment 'Lena's brain grew dizzy, and she had well-nigh fainted,
when the sound of Mr. Graham's voice brought her back to
consciousness. Pressing his lips to her white brow, he said, "Speak
to me my daughter. Say that you receive me as your father for such I
am."

With lightning rapidity 'Lena's thoughts traversed the past, whose
dark mystery was now made plain, and as the thought that it might be
so--that it was so--flashed upon her, she clasped her hands together,
exclaiming, "My father! Is it true? You are not deceiving me?"

"Deceive you, darling?--no," said he. "I am your father, and Helena
Nichols was my wife."

"Why then did you leave her? Why have you so long left me
unacknowledged?" asked 'Lena.

Mr. Graham groaned bitterly. The hardest part was yet to come, but
he met it manfully, telling her the whole story, sparing not himself
in the least, and ending by asking if, after all this, she could
forgive and love him as her father.

Raising herself in bed, 'Lena wound her arms around his neck, and
laying her face against his, wept like a little child. He felt that
he was sufficiently answered, and holding her closer to his bosom, he
pushed back the clustering curls, kissing her again and again, while
he said aloud, "I have your answer, d