OR, CLARENCE MORTIMER, AL

 

a friend, and ask Him to bless her, and to
keep her and hers ever safe from harm,’ said
his mother.

_ © At this moment there was a noise upon
the stairs, and then a heavy, rolling sound,
as though some one had fallen. That sound |
produced the greatest possible excitement in
the family assembled around the _ table.
The mother snatched up the chicken-pie,
and carefully hid it in the corner. The
eldest girl secured the cake, and the boy
carefully concealed the papers containing the
tea and sugar.

‘¢ Another noise, and some one fell heay-
ily against the door. The woman hastened
to open it, and a rough-looking man came
stageering in. At the sight of him, every
face was instantly blanched with terror.

The three children got as far away from him