But I am grieved to hear of your affray with the native.
I hope that life will not be sacrificed." "No fear of that; the rascal got only a flesh-wound." Here the young man related his adventure of the morning, and finished by asking what the pastor advised should be done in the way of precaution.
"It seems to me," said Mr.Mason, gravely, "that our chief difficulty will be to save ourselves from our friends--" "Would friends harm us, father ?" asked a sweet, soft voice at the pastor's elbow.

Next moment Alice Mason was seated on her father's knee, gazing up in his face with an expression of undisguised amazement.
Alice was a fair, delicate, gentle child.

Twelve summers and winters had passed over her little head without a cloud to obscure the sunshine of her life save one; but that one was a terribly dark one, and its shadow lingered over her for many years.

When Alice lost her mother, she lost the joy and delight of her existence, and although six years had passed since that awful day, and a fond Christian father had done his best to impress on her young mind that the beloved one was not lost forever, but would one day be found sitting at the feet of Jesus in a bright and beautiful world, the poor child could not recover her former elasticity of spirits.

Doubtless her isolated position, and the want of suitable companions, had something to do with the prolonged sadness of her little heart.
It is almost unnecessary to say that her love for her father was boundless.