ilence?"

"Shall I read it for you?" said she, gently.

"Do, darling; but before you begin, give me a glass of
whiskey-and-water. I want courage for it, and something tells me, Bella,
I'll need courage too."

"Come, come, papa, this is not like yourself; this is not the old
Albuera spirit you are so justly proud of."

"Five-and-thirty years' hard struggling with the world never improved
a man's pluck. There was n't a fellow in the Buffs had more life in him
than Paul Kellett. It was in general orders never to sell my traps or
camp furniture when I was reported missing; for, as General Pack said,
'Kellett is sure to turn up to-morrow or the day after.' And look at me
now!" cried he, bitterly; "and as to selling me out, they don't show me
much mercy, Bella, do they?"

She made no reply, but slowly proceeded to break the seal of the letter.

"What a hurry ye're in to read bad news!" cried he, peevishly; "can't
you wait till I finish this?" And he pointed to the glass, which he
sipped slowly, like one wishing to linger over it.

A half-melancholy smile was all her answer, and he went on,--

"I'm as sure of what's in that letter there as if I read it. Now, mark
my words, and I'll just tell you the contents of it: Kellett's Court
is sold, the first sale confirmed, and the Master's report on your poor
mother's charge is unfavorable. There's not a perch of the old estate
left us, and we're neither more nor less than beggars. There it is for
you in plain English."

"Let us learn the worst at once, then," said she, resolutely, as she
opened the letter.

"Who told you that was the worst?" broke he in, angrily. "The worst
isn't over for the felon in the dock when the judge has finished the
sentence; there's the 'drop' to come, after that."

"Father, father!" cried she, pitifully, "be yourself again. Remember
what you said the other night, that if we had poor Jack back again you'd
not be afraid to face life in some new world beyond the seas, and care
little for hardships or humble fortune if we could only be together."

"I was dreaming, I suppose," muttered he, doggedly.

"No; you were speaking out of the fulness of your love and affection;
you were showing me how little the accidents of fortune touch the
happiness of those resolved to walk humbly, and that, once divested
of that repining spirit which was ever recalling the past, we should
confront the life before us more light of heart than we have felt for
many a y