on which you're going, can't be for any good, or you wouldn't be afraid
of mentioning it to my father."

"He's coming!" cried Jack, stamping his foot, with vexation. "Another
moment, and it'll be too late."

"Winny, I _must_ go!" said Thames, breaking from her.

"Stay, dear Thames!--stay!" cried the little girl. "He hears me not!
he's gone!" she added, as the door was opened and shut with violence;
"something tells me I shall never see him again!"

When her father, a moment afterwards, issued from the parlour to
ascertain the cause of the noise, he found her seated on the stairs, in
an agony of grief.

"Where's Thames?" he hastily inquired.

Winifred pointed to the door. She could not speak.

"And Jack?"

"Gone too," sobbed his daughter.

Mr. Wood uttered something like an imprecation.

"God forgive me for using such a word!" he cried, in a troubled tone;
"if I hadn't yielded to my wife's silly request, this wouldn't have
happened!"