were drinking, in a strange country, what would become of him? She
remembered he had considerable money with him; also, when he was
intoxicated he always became reckless, and would be almost certain
to display it, and thus, probably, tempt some hard character to
rob or murder him.

"Oh, my Father, protect him!" she exclaimed in her anguish, as she
knelt before Him who was her only help and consolation in such
times of trouble.

The next morning Eddie was again sent for a letter, and as he came
with one in his hand, the mother grasped it impulsively. But, a
moment after, thinking her action might appear strange to Eddie,
she kissed him affectionately, and said: "Excuse your mamma; my
boy, I was so anxious to read papa's letter that I forgot myself."

The reader has already been made acquainted with the contents of
that letter, and when Ruth had read it her worse fears were not
allayed--rather, confirmed.

She wrote to him immediately--not expressing her fears, but filling
her letter with words of love and confidence, thinking that by
thus doing it would influence him, at least to some extent, to
endeavor to prove to her that her confidence had not been
misplaced.

She did not hear from him again for more than two weeks, though
either she or the children wrote him several letters in the
meantime. The agony she endured during that period I will allow
the reader to imagine.