Mrs. Wentworth paused a moment before she accepted the extended hand, while her brow appeared clouded.  At length, holding out her hand to him, she said: 

“I accept your offered friendship, Mr. Awtry, in the same spirit, as I hope, it is given; but, at the same time, trust you shall never be troubled with any importunities from me.”

“Thank you—­thank you,” he replied eagerly; “I shall not prove otherwise than worthy of your friendship.  These are your children?” he continued, changing the conversation.

“Yes,” she replied, with a look of pride upon her little daughter and the sleeping infant on the sofa; “these are my little family.”

Mr. Awtry took the little girl upon his knees and commenced caressing it, and, after remaining for a few moments in unimportant conversation, took his departure with the promise to call at some future time.

As soon as he left Mrs. Wentworth sat down, and resting her hands on the table, spoke to herself on the visit she had received.  “What could have induced him to pay me this visit?” she said, musingly; “it is strange—­very strange that he should choose this particular time to renew our acquaintance!  He spoke honestly, however, and may be sincere in his offers of assistance, should I ever need anything.  He is wealthy, and can certainly aid me.”  She sat there musing, until the little girl, coming up to her, twined her tiny arms round her mother’s neck, and asked if it was not time to light the gas.

“Yes, darling,” said Mrs. Wentworth, kissing her fondly; “call Betsy and let her get a light.”

After the negro had lit the gas, Mrs. Wentworth said to her, “Should that gentleman, who was here to-day, call at any time again, let me know before you admit him.”

“Yes, mistis,” replied the negro with a curtsey.

CHAPTER THIRD.

Mr. Horace Awtry.

Mr. Horace Awtry was a native of the State of New York, and was, at the time of writing, about thirty-live years of age.  He was a tall and well-formed man, with light hair clustering in curls on a broad and noble looking forehead; his features were well chiselled, and his upper lip was ornamented with a mustache of the same color as his hair.  Notwithstanding his handsome features and extravagant display of dress, there was an expression in his dark blue eyes, which, though likely to captivate the young and innocent portion of the fair sex, was not deemed elegant by those who are accustomed to read the features of man.  He was very wealthy, but was a perfect type of the roue, although a good education and remarkable control of himself rendered it difficult for his acquaintances to charge him with dissipation, or any conduct unworthy of ft gentleman.  As this gentleman will occupy a somewhat conspicuous position in our tale, we deem it necessary to go into these particulars.