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gone and her father's family removed to the West; still I felt that if I could not weep over her grave, I should at least find some who remembered her; that I could tread the soil she had trod, and see the blue mountain range she had so often described to me. I came, and now in this stormy night, from your words, has come to me the hope which I dare not yet fully trust to, that I am yet a father and at least may find the grave of my wife."

Captain Sargent was startled and touched by this recital. He had never supposed that the frail child cast on shore, could have survived the rough winter of the island, and he feared that a terrible disappointment awaited his friend, for so he had begun to consider his passenger.

In the long conversation that followed, when Dr. Manning spoke of his surprise that the owners did not take more pains to find the child's parents, he expressed this fear, and told him that he was sure an advertisement had been sent to Halifax, but that no one had

supposed the child could live, or had doubted that she was the daughter of the man who tried so hard to save her. 66 And can you dare to hope it now?" he said.

"I must not, I must not," said the poor

man.

After a little thought, Captain Sargent called up the old sailor who had spoken so warmly of Ephraim Wright, and asked him. if he knew any thing of Wright's family.

"Well, you see," said the the old sailor, "I was cast ashore there one windy night not so very many years ago; me and two other men that was out fishing together; and Ephraim and his man came down with ropes and oars and got us out, and then we crawled half dead up to his house. And there was his wife with a hot mess of coffee and porridge, all ready for us, and a good fire; and she got dry clothes, and spoke so pleasant to us, though we made an awful mess on her kitchen floor with our old wet rags, I can tell you. And there, dancing about and picking up the things and pouring out the coffee, and laughing and

crying for joy that the men were all safe, was a little blue-eyed girl; and she kind o' crept into my heart so, when I see her a helping her mother, and then a follering her father up to the tower every night, that I can never see that blessed light a shining over the waters, but I feel as if I was a looking right into her blue eyes again. She was there last night, I'll be bound she was," said the old man, "for the light couldn't shine so clear and beautiful without her."

Dr. Manning could hardly restrain his emotion, as he questioned the warm-hearted sailor on every particular of the child's age and appearance. It was a theme on which the sailor's fancy had dwelt so much in his solitary watches, that his picture was colored with the brightest hues a grateful heart and a lively fancy could paint. But Dr. Manning knew what simple goodness must have dwelt in that home to awaken such feeling. After all, this might be Ephraim's own daughter, not his; nay, would it not be cruel to assert his claim after so many years?

That night again, for they had made little progress during the day, his eyes rested on that light, and in the quiet hours that he watched it, a peaceful earnest hope and generous faith was strengthened in his heart.

CHAPTER VII.

LIGHT AND PEACE.

THE Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.

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Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,

For thou art with me.

Thy rod and thy staff

They comfort me.

PSALM.

|FTER Susan had safely returned

home again, a succession of stormy days followed, and it was full three

weeks before a boat could leave

the island, even to get letters and papers from the mainland. But the little family, reunited in their home after their separation and danger, enjoyed this period of entire seclusion, and often looked back to it in after life with fond satisfaction. It was the last time they felt that she was "all their own."

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