He bent over the couch where Nettie lay listening to her mother’s and lover’s passionate words and she said, “My little love, your mother thinks she had been deceived by my poor father, and now his son is trying to deceive her only child. I am going away, and when I find my father or hear something definite about him then I will return. All I ask is to prove faithful to me until I return.” He pressed a kiss on her fair brow as he said, “God bless and keep you both until I return.” In a moment the door closed on the manly form of Paul Burton. He went directly to the hotel where he was stopping and packing his little wardrobe prepared to travel. He thought of going to England but decided he would first go to the pleasure seekers’ sea-side resorts. Days and weeks went slowly by to the ones left in the cottage. At last it was nearly Christmas; the inmates were looking out of the window at the people hurrying along the thoroughfare. Presently the mother said, “Nettie, I wonder if anyone thinks enough of us to give us something. Our little money is nearly gone and what we have we cannot spare for niceties as it is all we have to keep the wolf from the door.” “God will provide for us,” answered Nettie. “I wonder where Paul is today. It is a long time since he went away. Oh, if he would only come back to us it would be all the pleasure I would ask. I care not for presents. Oh, why does he not come!” exclaimed Nettie, looking wistfully at her mother while the tears were springing to her eyes. “My child, God grant that he may come back and bring good news. We can only wait, watch, and pray,” answered the mother sorrowfully. A few days after the above conversation they were looking out on the busy people along the way. Many happy faces were to be seen. It was the long-looked-for, happy day among the little children. One little one was standing in the street viewing the shop windows when a runaway horse came dashing along, and before she could have gotten out of the way a middle aged man came running out of a shop near and caught her up in his arms, not soon enough, however, to clear the danger as they were thrown down violently on the sidewalk. Mrs. Spaulding was the first to lend a helping hand, as it was just before her door. Soon she bore the little inanimate form of the child into her own cottage and laid her on lounge, where Nettie once lay, and began applying restoratives. Soon she had the pleasure of seeing her open her bright blue eyes and feebly ask for ‘mama.’ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER VIII. “My dear little one, your mama will soon be here, as I have sent Nettie out to see if she can find any one claiming you.”