as ready, Manasseh lifted his right hand,
and 'asked a blessing,' as it was termed; but the grace became a long
prayer for abstract spiritual blessings, for strength to combat Satan,
and to quench his fiery darts, and at length assumed, so Lois thought,
a purely personal character, as if the young man had forgotten the
occasion, and even the people present, but was searching into the
nature of the diseases that beset his own sick soul, and spreading them
out before the Lord. He was brought back by a pluck at the coat from
Prudence; he opened his shut eyes, cast an angry glance at the child,
who made a face at him for sole reply, and then he sat down, and they
all fell to. Grace Hickson would have thought her hospitality sadly at
fault, if she had allowed Captain Holdernesse to go out in search of a
bed. Skins were spread for him on the floor of the keeping-room; a
Bible, and a square bottle of spirits were placed on the table, to
supply his wants during the night; and in spite of all the cares and
troubles, temptations, or sins of the members of that household, they
were all asleep before the town clock struck ten.

In the morning, the captain's first care was to go out in search of the
boy Elias, and the missing letter. He met him bringing it with an easy
conscience, for, thought Elias, a few hours sooner or later will make
no difference; to-night or the morrow morning will be all the same. But
he was startled into a sense of wrong-doing by a sound box on the ear,
from the very man who had charged him to deliver it speedily, and whom
he believed to be at that very moment in Boston city.

The letter delivered, all possible proof being given that Lois had a
right to claim a home from her nearest relations, Captain Holdernesse
thought it best to take leave.

'Thou'lt take to them, lass, maybe, when there is no one here to make
thee think on the old country. Nay, nay! parting is hard work at all
times, and best get hard work done out of hand. Keep up thine heart, my
wench, and I'll come back and see thee next spring, if we are all
spared till then; and who knows what fine young miller mayn't come with
me? Don't go and get wed to a praying Puritan, meanwhile. There,
there--I'm off! God bless thee!'

And Lois was left alone in New England.

Chapter 2

It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this
family. Her aunt was a woman of narrow, strong affections. Her love for
her husband, if ever she