o his aid, lifted him
carefully, and placed his head on his own knee.

It was in this position, as we have already seen, that Adele
discovered them.

When Frank saw the farmer's nose bleeding so profusely, and the
deathly paleness on his face, he cried for help. It was this cry
which the young lady heard. The same cry aroused Tom, who was
sleeping soundly, doubtless dreaming of his fair cousin. He looked
carefully over the hedge, and when he saw how matters stood and how
his uncle lay, he took to his heels and fled. Cowardice lent him
wings.

CHAPTER XXII.

FATHER AND DAUGHTER.

The morning after the accident, Mr. Rougeant, whose wrath was
terrible, began to abuse his daughter.

"You are the cause of all this," he said, as he surveyed the injured
limb.

"Very indirectly, I should think," she replied.

"What do you mean? How dare you disobey me as you have done lately;
you have made me suffer; you have, under my very eyes, been making a
fool of me--your father." He paused, as if unable to frame his next
sentence.

"I beg your pardon, father," said the young lady respectfully; "but
I have not been trying to 'make a fool' of you, as you say. I
conscientiously think that I am right in encouraging the attentions
of such an upright----"

"Stop your nonsense," he cried imperatively, his face assuming a
terrible aspect, "you are an idiotic girl, you are trying to ruin me
by listening to this pasteboard fellow, this scoundrel, this
flippant rascal."

Adele was stung with her father's bitter sarcasm against one whom
she loved. She looked straight at her father; she knew he was unable
to move from his place, and this made her bolder than she would
otherwise have been. She answered with a firm and steady voice: "He
saved your life once."

"Saved my life, how? Only for his presence yesterday, I should not
now be lying idle."

"I am not talking about yesterday," she replied; "I mean, when he
saved you from drowning in the quarry at the risk of being himself
dragged in."

"What has that to do with it?"

"It means that he is not a 'pasteboard fellow,' as you say; it means
that you ought to acknowledge his kindness; it means that you should
be thankful for the great service which he rendered you."

"If I owe him anything, let him say so and I will pay him," he
replied. He had not the slightest intention of doing so.

"You owe him a debt of gratitude, and you should bless him; instead
of that you curse