She had reason. This Nicholas Anderson had been a medical student,
apprenticed to her father, or rather placed with him to be prepared for
his profession. He was, perhaps, a year older than Hetty, and had
regarded her with more than ordinary warmth of affection. He had, in
fact, proposed to her, and had been conditionally accepted, on a year's
probation. The trouble was, he was a little disposed to be wild, and
being naturally of a lively and careless temperament, did not exercise
sufficient discrimination in the choice of his associates. Hetty had
loved him as warmly as one of her nature could love. She was not one who
would be drawn away beyond the dictates of reason and judgment by the
force of affection. Still it was not without a feeling of deep sorrow--
deeper than her calm manner led him to suspect--that at the end of the
year's probation, she informed Anderson that the result of his trial was
not favorable to his suit, and that henceforth he must give up all
thoughts of her.

To his vehement asseverations, promises and protestations, she returned
the same steady and inflexible answer, and, at the close of the
interview, he left her, quite as full of indignation against her as of
grief for his rejection.

That night his clothing was packed up, and lowered from the window, and
when the next morning dawned it was found that he had left the house,
and as was intimated in a slight note pencilled and left on the table in
his room, never to return again.

While Miss Henderson's mind was far back in the past, she had not
observed the approach of a man, shabbily attired, accompanied by a
little girl, apparently some eight years of age. The man's face bore the
impress of many cares and hardships. The little girl was of delicate