It was but short, written merely to explain his absence, and dated from a neighboring plantation, where he had gone to assist in nursing a sick friend whom he should not be able to leave for some days.  There were words of deep, strong affection, but as she had foreseen, nothing that she need care to have her father know or see.

“Does not this news allay your fears for him?” Mr. Dinsmore asked tenderly.

“Yes, papa,” she answered, the tears streaming from her eyes.  “Oh, how good God is to me!  I will trust Him, trust Him for you both, as well as myself.”  She covered her face with her hands while shudder after shudder shook her whole frame.

Mr. Dinsmore was much perplexed, and deeply concerned.  “Shall I send for Dr. Barton?” he asked.

“No, no, papa!  I am not ill; only my nerves have had a great, a terrible shock; they seem all unstrung, and my temples are throbbing with pain.”

“My poor, poor darling! strange that with all my care and watchfulness you should have been subjected to such a trial.  Some ruffian has been trying to extort money from you, I presume, by threatened violence to yourself, Travilla, and me.  Where were you?”

“In my arbor, sir.”

“And alone?”

“Yes, papa; I thought myself safe there.”

“I forbid you to go there or to any distance from the house, alone, again.  You must always have some one within call, if not close at your side.”

“And my father knows I will obey him,” she said, tremulously lifting his hand to her lips.

He administered an anodyne to relieve the tortured nerves, then sitting down beside her, passed his hand soothingly over hair and cheek, while with the other he held one of hers in loving, tender clasp.  Neither spoke, and at length she fell asleep; yet not a sound, refreshing slumber, but disturbed by starts and moans, and frequent wakings to see and feel that he was still there.  “Papa, don’t go away; don’t leave me!” was her constant cry.

“My darling, my precious one, I will not,” was his repeated assurance; “I will stay with you while this trouble lasts.”

And all that day and night he never left her side, while Rose came and went, full of anxiety and doing everything that could be done for the sufferer’s relief.

It was a night of unrest to them all; but morning found her free from pain, though weak and languid, and still filled with distress if her father was absent for more than a few moments from her side.  She inquired of him at what hour she had come in the day before:  then watched the time and, as soon as released from her promise, told them all.

Great was his indignation; and, determined that, if possible, the villain should be apprehended and brought to justice, he sent word at once to the magistrates:  a warrant was issued, and several parties were presently out in different directions in hot pursuit.

But with the twenty-four hours’ start Jackson had made good his escape, and the only advantage gained was the relief of knowing that he no longer infested the neighborhood.