They could not fully appreciate the difficult circumstances in which this occurrence had placed them; nor did their father himself at first.

He thought only of the loss he had sustained, in the destruction of his fine crops; and this of itself, when we consider his isolated situation, and the hopelessness of restoring them, was enough to cause him very great chagrin.
"Gone! all gone!" he exclaimed, in a sorrowing voice.

"Oh! Fortune-- Fortune--again art thou cruel!" "Papa! do not grieve," said a soft voice; "we are all alive yet, we are here by your side;" and with the words a little white hand was laid upon his shoulder.

It was the hand of the beautiful Truey.
It seemed as if an angel had smiled upon him.

He lifted the child in his arms, and in a paroxysm of fondness pressed her to his heart.