And for her father, it seemed only a natural and justifiable thing that his guilt and his greed should be so punished.

He had sold his daughter into life-long slavery for nothing but that one advance of two hundred pounds.

He had saved himself from the penalty of his dishonesty, however, by that sacrifice; and would, no doubt, hold his daughter's misery lightly enough, even if poverty were added to the wretchedness of her position.
The two women sat down on opposite sides of the hearth; Mrs.Tadman, too anxious to go on with her accustomed knitting, only able to wring her hands in a feeble way, and groan every now and then, or from time to time burst into some fragmentary speech.
"And Stephen's just the man to have such a thing on his mind and keep it from everybody till the last moment," she cried piteously.

"And so many speculations as there are now-a-days to tempt a man to his ruin--railways and mines, and loans to Turks and Red Indians and such-like foreigners; and Steph might so easy be tempted by the hope of larger profits than he can make by farming." "But it's no use torturing yourself like that with fears that may be quite groundless," Ellen said at last, rousing herself a little in order to put a stop to the wailing and lamentations of her companion.

"There's no use in anticipating trouble.