He conducted Alice home that day; but he said little by the way, perhaps because his female relation, for appearance' sake, accompanied them also.

He, however, briefly cautioned Alice on no account to communicate to any one that it was her father who had been her visitor; and she still shuddered too much at the reminiscence to appear likely to converse on it.

The banker also judged it advisable to be so far confidential with Alice's servant as to take her aside, and tell her that the inauspicious stranger of the previous evening had been a very distant relation of Mrs.Butler, who, from a habit of drunkenness, had fallen into evil and disorderly courses.

The banker added with a sanctified air that he trusted, by a little serious conversation, he had led the poor man to better notions, and that he had gone home with an altered mind to his family.

"But, my good Hannah," he concluded, "you know you are a superior person, and above the vulgar sin of indiscriminate gossip; therefore, mention what has occurred to no one; it can do no good to Mrs.Butler--it may hurt the man himself, who is well-to-do--better off than he seems; and who, I hope, with grace, may be a sincere penitent; and it will also--but that is nothing--very seriously displease me.