My poor child, how ill you look! Shall I tell him you are too tired to-night to see any one ?" "I would rather see him," said Ruth, her voice trembling a little; and they went down-stairs together.

In the hall she hesitated a moment.

She was going to learn her fate.

Had her release come?
Had it come at the eleventh hour?
Her uncle looked at her with kind, compassionate eyes, and hers fell before his as she thought how different her suspense was to what he imagined.

Suddenly--and such demonstrations were very rare with her--she put her arms round his neck and pressed her cheek against his.
"Oh, Uncle John! Uncle John!" she gasped, "it is not what you think." "I pray God it may not be what I suppose," he said, sadly, stroking her head.