THE CONSEQUENCES. 27

CHAPTER IV.

THE CONSEQUENCES.

[ was the evening of the same day. There
was a cheerful fire burning in the low-
ceiled room at Croft Farm in which the family
generally gathered for meals, or for the hour
or two of talk before bed-time.

In a large arm-chair, propped up with pil-
lows and enveloped in a shawl, sat little Harry,
looking pale and hollow-eyed, but very con-
tented. By his side was his mother, holding
his hand tightly in her own, as though to
assure herself that she really had him safely
there. Near these two was Mr. Maine, a stout,
gray, rather anxious and stern-looking man,
whose eyes, however, had a smile in them
whenever they fell on his children. He was
sitting with his arm round Nellie, who half
sat on his knee, her eyes swollen with crying.+

This was the whole of the Maine family now
at home. The eldest daughter was in a situa-
tion as nursery governess, and of the two
grown-up sons one was at sea and the other