CHAPTER II.
In Which Some Necessary Information is Given.
Dulcibel Burton was an orphan.

Her father becoming a little unsound in doctrine, and being greatly pleased with the larger liberty of conscience offered by William Penn to his colonists in Pennsylvania, had leased his house and lands to a farmer by the name of Buckley, and departed for Philadelphia.

This was some ten years previous to the opening of our story.

After living happily in Philadelphia for about eight years he died suddenly, and his wife decided to return to her old home in Salem village, having arranged to board with Goodman Buckley, whose lease had not yet expired.

But in the course of the following winter she also died, leaving this only child, Dulcibel, now a beautiful girl of eighteen years.