He glanced across at the beloved daughter whose willfulness had brought such sorrow upon them all. She sat in her place as usual, but she scarcely tasted her food, only toyed with it while her thoughts seemed far away, and her long lashes drooped against her pale cheeks. “Aline!” he said, abruptly. She started like one in a dream, and dropped her fork. The blue eyes looked quickly at him with a startled expression. “Yes, papa,” she answered, in the low, sad voice that had grown habitual with her since her return. “Mr. Linton called upon me to-day,” he said. “Mr. Linton?” she repeated, blankly. Mr. Linton was a banker, and quite an important personage in the social element of Chester. “He brought me something for you,” continued Mr. Rodney, and he reached across the table and laid a small folded package by Aline’s plate. She looked at it in wonder, without touching it. “What is it, my dear?” inquired Mrs. Rodney, with womanly curiosity. “Open it, Aline!” said her father. “Is it a letter, papa?” she asked, and the note of keen eagerness in her voice did not escape his alert hearing. “Were you expecting a letter from any one, my dear?” he asked, pointedly. “Yes--no,” she answered, dejectedly, and a scarlet flame leaped up into her cheeks, then faded out into deathly white. “Why don’t you open your package, Aline?” said her sister. “Yes, why don’t you?” echoed Max, in a voice of lively curiosity. She did not touch it still--only looked at her father. “Do you say it is not a letter, papa?” she asked. “It is not a letter,” he replied. CHAPTER XXVII. Aline could not keep the expression of bitter disappointment out of her face. Her lips quivered sensitively, and a mist of tears dimmed her eyes. A wild hope had sprung into her mind that Mr. Delaney had sent her an answer at last, although she could not understand why he had done so through the medium of Mr. Linton. But her father’s negative reply at once dispelled the springing hope. She was bitterly disappointed, and she could not keep her emotion from showing in her face. Every one could see it plainly. “She did expect a letter, and she is disappointed at not receiving it,” said her keen-witted father to himself. “It is something better than a letter, Aline,” he said, aloud. “Shall I tell you what it is, since you show no disposition to look at it?” “If you please, sir,” she replied, indifferently. “It is a check-book and a certificate of deposit in the Chester Bank of the sum of ten thousand dollars,” he replied, with sparkling eyes, and watching her closely to see how she received the news. She showed nothing but a blank surprise. “Ten thousand dollars? But what has that to do with me, papa?” “Everything, Aline, for it is all yours,” he replied. “Mine!” she exclaimed. “Yes, yours!” he replied.