Poor soul! she led a sad life; for when Simon found he'd made a mistake about the money, there was no word too bad for him to fling at her." At this moment Farmer Hartley's step was heard in the porch, and Nurse Lucy rose hurriedly.

"Don't say anything to him, Hilda dear," she whispered,--"anything about Simon, I mean.

I'll tell him to-morrow; but I don't want to trouble him to-night.

This is our Faith's birthday,--seventeen year old she'd have been to-day; and it's been a right hard day for Jacob! I'll tell him about it in the morning." Alas! when morning came it was too late.

The kitchen door was swinging idly open; the desk was broken open and rifled; and Simon Hartley was gone, and with him the savings of ten years' patient labor..