NELLY CHANNELL. [Illustration: "Until she came to the side of the brook."--Page 196.] NELLY CHANNELL. BY SARAH DOUDNEY, AUTHOR OF _"Strangers Yet," "A Woman's Glory," "What's in a Name," "Nothing but Leaves," etc._ With Four Illustrations. Boston. IRA BRADLEY & CO., 162, WASHINGTON STREET. CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER I. THE HOME AT HUNTSDEAN, AND ITS NEW INMATES 1 CHAPTER II. BROTHER AND SISTER.--RHODA FARREN PERPLEXED 17 CHAPTER III. A SPARED LIFE.--NEWS FROM ROBERT CLARRIS 23 CHAPTER IV. AN INVITATION FROM SQUIRE DERRICK 43 CHAPTER V. HELEN UNDER A NEW ASPECT 53 CHAPTER VI. "THE MASTER IS COME, AND CALLETH FOR THEE" 65 CHAPTER VII. THE DISPOSAL OF HELEN'S JEWELS 79 CHAPTER VIII. THE FARM PURCHASED BY ONE RALPH CHANNELL 87 CHAPTER IX. "THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF BATTLE" 101 CHAPTER X. THE STORY OF THE DARK HOUR 111 CHAPTER XI. NELLY CHANNELL 131 CHAPTER XII. MORGAN FOSTER, THE NEW CURATE 141 CHAPTER XIII. WHAT A LITTLE POEM REVEALED 151 CHAPTER XIV. EVE HAZLEBURN, POET AND FRIEND 161 CHAPTER XV. A CONFESSION OVERHEARD 173 CHAPTER XVI. HOW THE TRUTH CAME OUT 189 CHAPTER XVII. AN UNLOOKED-FOR RELEASE 201 CHAPTER XVIII. "WHAT GOD HATH JOINED TOGETHER" 211 CHAPTER I. THE HOME AT HUNTSDEAN AND ITS NEW INMATES. It was the dreariest of November days. The only bright spot was a crimson sumach, spreading its gorgeous foliage against the watery grey of the sky, and misty back-ground of fog-hidden fields. It was a day that made the burdens of life seem heavier than they really were, and set the heart aching for the sunshine of the vanished summer. The scene was as still as death. There was not wind enough to lift the pale vapours that hung over the meadows. No kindly breezes came to the poor brown leaves, heaped on the wayside, and carried them off to quiet hollows where they might have decent burial. Better rain and tempest than such a gloomy calm as this; and better the roar and rattle of the train than the heavy jog-trot of the carrier's horses, and the rumble of his wagon.