te J. COLE.

“Father’s a’most beside hisself,’’ said Dick;
“and only that he’s got to keep mother in
the dark about this, he’d have come with me;
but mother, she’s a-bed with rheumatics, and
doctor told father her heart was weak-like,
and she mustn’t be told, or it would p’raps
kill her. She thinks a deal of Joe, does
mother, being the youngest, and always such
a sort of lovin’ little chap he were.” And
here Dick’s voice broke again, and I made
him go down to Mrs. Wilson, and have some
refreshment before leaving, and he promised
to see me again the first thing in the morn-
ing, when he had talked to his friend, the
policeman.

Scarcely had Dick gone, when a loud, and
this time firm ring, announced another visi-
tor, and in a cab, too, I could hear. Evidently
there was no going to rest early that night,
as ten o’clock was then striking.

Soon, to my surprise, I heard a well-known
voice, and Mary announced Dr. Loring, my
husband’s old friend, of whom I have already
spoken.

“Well, my dear,” he cried, in his pleasant,