anged color rapidly, her heart seemed to beat anew
with some sudden transport of joy. "Oh, mother! oh, mother!" she
exclaimed, tossing the book on the floor, "I know who Mr. Bright means.
It's him! I know it's him! He has come back!" She rushed past her
mother, vaulted as it were down the stairs and into the parlor. The
young man stood motionless. He was so changed in dress and appearance
that she suddenly hesitated, and for a moment drew back, as if in doubt.

"It is me, Mattie," said Tite, smiling and advancing with his hand
extended. The thought suddenly flashed through his mind that she might
have expected some one else. He was mistaken, for she met his advance
like one whose heart was filled with joy. In short, the words had hardly
fallen from his lips when they were in each other's arms, and giving
such proofs of their affection as only hearts bound together by the
truest and purest of love can give.

"I knew you would come back to me--yes, I knew you would. There was an
angel guarding you while absent," she whispered, looking up as he kissed
her and kissed her. And as her eyes met his her face brightened with a
smile so full of sweetness and gentleness.

"I knew what would happen," said Bright, opening the door apace and
looking in. "Knew there would be just such a scene." Just at that moment
Mrs. Chapman brushed past the exuberant inn-keeper, and stood like a
massive statue, looking at the scene before her with an air of surprise
and astonishment, for Mattie was still clasped in the young man's arms.

"My daughter! my daughter!" she exclaimed, raising her fat hands,
"enough to make a mother faint to see a well-brought-up daughter so
familiar? It shocks me, my daughter. I am sure I am glad to see the
young man home. But familiarity of that kind's not becoming. Your father
never would have married me if I had allowed familiarity of that kind."

"You must blame me; it was all my fault," said Tite, handing Mattie to a
chair, and advancing toward Mrs. Chapman.

"You have been away a long time, haven't you," said the lady, receiving
his hand in a cold and formal manner. "You are very much changed--the
effect of the sea-air on the complexion, I suppose? We shall be very
glad to see you at any time, Mr. Toodleburg. It was so late we didn't
expect visitors, and were not prepared for them. You said you had not
seen your aged parents?"

"Not yet," replied Tite, "but I shall proceed there soon."

"It was very kind o