You know I am all alone in the world, do you not ?" "Yes," moaned Mercy.
"Very well.

Now remember that you and Lizzy are my two children, and that the greatest happiness I can have, the greatest help in my loneliness, is the love of my two daughters.

You will not refuse me this help, will you?
You will let me be just as I was before, will you not ?" Mercy did not answer.
"Will you try, Mercy ?" he said in a tone almost of the old affectionate authority; and Mercy again moaned rather than said,-- "Yes." Then Parson Dorrance kissed her hair where his hand had lain a few moments before, and said,-- "Now I must go.

Good-by, my child." But Mercy did not look up; and he closed the door gently, leaving her sitting there bowed and heart-stricken, in the little room so gay with the bright flowers she had gathered on her "sweet yesterday.".