staring fixedly at a bag of dried herbs hanging
to a hook in the ceiling. He did not bring his
eyes down, even when I entered, and stood
thunderstruck upon the door-sill; but he rounded
up his large mouth, as if he were going to whistle.

"Good morning, sir," I said, as soon as I
recovered myself; for my father had said we must
regard these men only as the human instruments
permitted to bring affliction to us; "will you
please to tell me your name?"

The stranger fixed his eyes steadily upon me.
After which he smiled a little to himself.

"John Robins is my name," he said, "and England
is my nation, Woodbury is my dwelling-place,
and Christ is my salvation."

He spake in a sing-song tone, and his eyes
went up again to the bag of marjoram, twinkling
as if with great satisfaction; and I pondered
over his reply, until it became quite a comfort to
me.

"I'm very glad to hear it," I said, at last,
"because we are religious people, and I was
afraid you might be different."

"Oh, I'll be no kind of nuisance, miss," he
answered; "you make yourselves comfortable,
and only bid Maria, here, to draw me my beer
regular, and I'll not hurt your feelings."

"Thank you," I said. "Jane, you hear what
Mr. Robins says. Bring some sheets down to
air, and make up the bed in the Brothers' chamber.
You'll find a bible and hymn-book on the
table there, Mr. Robins." I was leaving the
kitchen, when this singular man struck his
clenched fist upon the dresser, with a noise which
startled me greatly.

"Miss," he said, "don't you put yourself
about; and if anybody else should ever put you
out, about anything, remember John Robins
of Woodbury. I'm your man for anything,
whether in my line or out of my line; I am,
by——"

He was about to add something more, but he
paused suddenly, and his face grew a little more
red, as he looked up again to the ceiling. So I
left the kitchen.

I have since been helping my father with his
books, being very thankful that I was always
quick at sums.

P.S. I dreamed that the settlement was
invaded by an army of men, led by John Robins,
who insisted upon becoming our pastor.

November 10. I have been a journey of fifty
miles, one half of it by stage-coach. I learned
for the first time that my mother's brother, a
worldly rich man, dwells fifteen miles beyond
Woodbury. He does not belong to our people,
and he was greatly displeased by my mother's
marriage. It also appears that Susannah and
Priscilla were not my mother's own daughters.
My father had a little forlorn hope that our
worldly kinsman might be inclined to help us in
our great extremity; so I went forth with his
blessings and prayers upon my errand. Brother
More, who came over to see Priscilla yesterday,
met me at Woodbury Station, and saw me safely
on the coach for my uncle's village. He is much
older than I fancied; and his face is large, and
coarse, and flabby-looking. I am surprised that
Priscilla should betroth herself to him.
However, he was very kind to me, and watched the
coach out of the inn-yard; but almost before he
was out of my sight, he was out of my mind,
and I was considering what I should say to my
uncle.

My uncle's house stands quite alone in the
midst of meadows and groves of trees, all of
which are leafless now, and waved to and fro in
the damp and heavy air, like funeral plumes. I
trembled greatly as I lifted the brass knocker,
which had a grinning face upon it; and I let it
fall with one loud single rap, which set all the
dogs barking, and the rooks cawing in the tops
of the trees. The servant conducted me across a
low-roofed hall, to a parlour beyond: low-roofed
also, but large and handsome, with a warm glow
of crimson, which was pleasant to my eyes, after
the grey gloom of the November day. It was
already afternoon; and a tall fine-looking old
man was lying comfortably upon a sofa fast
asleep; while upon the other side of the hearth
sat a dwarfed old lady, who lifted her fore-finger
with a gesture of silence, and beckoned me to
take a seat near the fire. I obeyed, and presently
fell into a meditation.

At length a man's voice broke the silence,
asking in a drowsy tone,

"What young lass is this?"

"I am Eunice Fielding," I replied, rising with
reverence to the aged man, my uncle; and he
gazed upon me with his keen grey eyes, until I
was abashed, and a tear or two rolled down my
cheeks in spite of myself, for my heart was very
heavy.

"By Jove!" he exclaimed, "as like Sophy
as two peas out of one pod!" and he laughed a
short laugh, which, in my ears, lacked merriment.
"Come here, Eunice," he added, "and
kiss me."

Whereupon I walked gravely across the open
space between us, and bent my face to his; but
he would have me to sit upon his knee, and I,
who had been at no time used to be fondled
thus, even by my father, sat there uncomfortably.

"Well, my pretty one," said my uncle, "what
is your errand and request to me? Upon my
soul, I feel ready to promise thee anything."

As he spake, I bethought me of King Herod,
and the sinful dancing-girl, and my heart sank
within me; but at last I took courage, as did
Esther the queen, and I made known my urgent
business to him, telling him, even with tears,
that my father was threatened with a prison, if
he could find none to befriend him.

"Eunice," said my uncle, after a very long
silence, "I will make a bargain with you and your
father. He stole away my favourite sister from
me, and I never saw her face again. I've no
children, and I'm a rich man. If your father will