nvey an adequate idea of the anguish which I
suffered at parting with him. He promised to follow me and make me his
wife, but he never came, and at a time when I was least able to bear
it, I was subject to brother Jim's fury. His cruelty brought me near
to death, and my sufferings only aggravated his bitterness and wrath.
With awful curses he swore vengeance on the man for whom I would even
then have laid down my life.

"As soon as my strength would permit, I fled to my friends at
Pembinaw. I told them all, even of my shame, which a little grave had
forever hid from the world. Like true Christians they soothed my
sorrows, and gave me the place in their family which their only
daughter, who had married and left them during my absence, had
occupied. Several years had passed away, and the good missionary died.
His wife soon followed him, and I was again left alone. I had never
seen brother Jim since I left him, but had frequently heard of his
wicked deeds. I thought now that I would go with my life in my hand
and seek him out and try once more by affectionate pursuasion, to
induce him to give up his reckless life. Accordingly, I mounted my
pony and set out for my former wild home. Reaching the lodge after
nightfall, to my surprise I heard voices within. I did not go in, but
stood listening at the entrance. I heard brother Jim and his
companions propose a plan to capture you. They were to start that very
night; so I hid myself among the trees and waited until they were
gone. Then I went in for the night, and the next morning set out to
do what I could towards rescuing you.

"Now I have told you all, Miss DeWolf, and our Heavenly Father alone
knows our future. As for my name in that bible, you know as much about
it as I do. I never saw the book before."

CHAPTER XIII.

TWOFOLD AGONY--DR. GOODRICH'S PROMISE--HOME AGAIN--LILLY
FOOT--THE CONVALESCENT--THE NEIGHBORHOOD WEDDING--NEWS FROM
CHIMNEY ROCK--THE SHERMAN FAMILY AT THE WEST.

Edward Sherman was still where we left him, listening graciously to
the pretended good wishes of Hank Glutter, when Dr. Goodrich, who
happened to pass that way, saw him through the window and beckoned him
out side.

"I expected to have met you at Dr. DeWolf's," said he, "and I brought
a letter for you."

Edward took the letter and read it carefully through, turning very
pale as he did so. It was from his sister Louise, and contained a
brief account of the dangerous illn