g to corrupt the dominie."

"I am glad, and very thankful to hear that Mr. Moore is going on so
well," said Margaret, "there is nothing I care so much about." Carrying
her plumed hat in her hand, she left the room.

"He is an excellent man, Mr. Moore--most excellent," observed Aunt
Katrina, a little stiffly; "of course we can never forget our
obligations to him."

"I should think not, indeed," answered Reginald Kirby, for the first
time losing some of his gallantry of tone.

"I am sure we have shown that we do not forget them," Aunt Katrina went
on, with dignity. "Margaret has shown it, and Evert; between them they
have made Mr. Moore comfortable for life."

"There wouldn't have been much life left in any of you without him,"
said Kirby, still fierily.

"I beg your pardon, I am not so dependent upon my niece, dear as she is
to me, as _that_; I think _such_ dependence wrong. You must remember,
too, that I have already been through great sorrows--the greatest; my
life has _not_ been an easy one." The gemmed hand was gently raised
here; then dropped with resignation upon the maroon silk lap. "I esteem
Mr. Moore highly--haven't I mentioned to you that I do? surely I have.
But I _cannot_ be deeply interested in him; Mr. Moore is not an
interesting man, he is _not_ an exciting man. I am afraid that when I
care for a friend," said Aunt Katrina, frankly, "when I find a friend
_delightful_, I am afraid I am apt, yes, _very_ apt, to make
comparisons." And she glanced at the Doctor with a gracious smile.

"Pardon my ill temper," murmured the Doctor, completely won again.
"After all," he said to himself, with conviction, "she's a deucedly fine
woman still."

Three months had elapsed since the burning of the house on the river.

Mr. Moore had remained for four weeks in the neighboring hotel, his wife
and Dr. Kirby constantly with him. They had then decided to take him on
a litter to Gracias; they crossed the St. John's in safety, and came
slowly over the pine barrens.

As they approached the town, Dr. Kirby, who, with Winthrop, was
accompanying the litter on horseback, a little in advance, saw a number
of people in the road.

"They have come out to meet him," said the Doctor, angrily. "How
senseless! how wicked! In his present state the excitement will kill
him; I shall ride forward and tell them to go back."

"No, don't," said Winthrop; "I think you're mistaken, I think it will do
him good. He has never in the least