y
suggested a question in his mind, whether it were not a 'judgment' on
them: they having lived to persecute him too long already. Through all
the vista of his past life he saw only gloom and shadows, and no ray of
brightness cheered the retrospective glance.

No ray? Yes, there was one. He saw a fair young girl, loving and
innocent, whose sweet face scarce ever left his thoughts. She reigned
where father and mother held no sway; and she made, with the sunshine of
her love, a clear heaven for him even in the purgatory of the past. So
he lay, slowly gathering strength, dreaming about her. And presently
they told him--gently as might be--how she had saved him. And they
nearly killed him in the telling.

When he was well enough to be about, it was strange that they would not
allow him to see her. She was still very ill, they said, and the doctor,
a reasonable man enough usually, utterly refused him admission to her
chamber. He fretted at this, and as he gained strength he 'went wrong.'

Mingled with the memory of his old privations was a full assurance of
his present liberty. He was of age, and he owned, by right, all the
extensive property the Deacon, his father, had so laboriously amassed.
During all his boyhood he had never had a shilling, at any one time,
that he could call his own; now hundreds of pounds stood ready at his
bidding, and he proceeded very speedily to spend them. During all his
boyhood he had been cut off from the amusements common to the youth of
that day; now he launched out into the most extravagant pleasures his
money could procure. Money was nothing, for he had it in plenty;
character was nothing, for he had none to lose; only love remained to
him of all the good things he might have held, and love lay bleeding
while he was denied access to Hannah. Love lay bleeding, and he turned
for comfort to the wine-cup, and raised Bacchus to the place Cupid
should have occupied. Alas for Jason Fletcher!

Weeks rolled on and passed into months, and still he was refused speech
with, or right of, Hannah. And he chafed at the denial. Had she not
risked everything to save his life? And he could not even thank her!

At length, being unable to find further excuse wherewith to put him off,
they one day told him he could see his love. They endeavored to prepare
him by hints and suggestions as to the probable consequences of the
trial she had passed through, but all that they could say or he imagine
had not prepare