"Back already!" said Louis. "It's more than a quarter after nine, but if it
hadn't been for the country cousin here, we'd have been a whole lot later."



CHAPTER SIX

IN THE MIDST OF DARKNESS

My father had not had much time to pay attention to Paula since her
arrival; for on his return from his long trip he had found the head of the
factory very sick. This had so increased his duties that he hardly had time
in the morning to take a hurried cup of coffee, before going off to his
work. In the evening, he always went to see Catalina for a few moments, and
then he shut himself in his room where he worked far into the night.

It was, therefore, with a sigh of relief that he sat down at the family
table on Sunday morning to take breakfast with us children.

"Now, then, Paula," he said, turning to our cousin as Teresa served us
coffee, "you haven't told me how you like your new family?"

Paula colored a little as she said, "Oh, I love you all very much, uncle
mine."

"Well, that's a happy reply," said my father, "and we love you also, my
little daughter."

The coffee had been served. Paula had been with us four days and she knew