CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I . JOSEPH.

CHAPTER II . MISS BLESSING.

CHAPTER III . THE PLACE AND PEOPLE.

CHAPTER IV . MISS BLESSING CALLS ON RACHEL MILLER.

CHAPTER V . ELWOOD'S EVENING, AND JOSEPH'S.

CHAPTER VI . IN THE GARDEN.

CHAPTER VII . THE BLESSING FAMILY.

CHAPTER VIII . A CONSULTATION.

CHAPTER IX . JOSEPH AND HIS FRIEND.

CHAPTER X . APPROACHING FATE.

CHAPTER XI . A CITY WEDDING.

CHAPTER XII . CLOUDS.

CHAPTER XIII . PRESENTIMENTS.

CHAPTER XIV . THE AMARANTH.

CHAPTER XV . A DINNER PARTY.

CHAPTER XVI . JOSEPH'S TROUBLE, AND PHILIP'S.

CHAPTER XVII . A STORM.

CHAPTER XVIII . ON THE RAILROAD TRACK.

CHAPTER XIX . THE "WHARF-RAT."

CHAPTER XX . A CRISIS.

CHAPTER XXI . UNDER THE WATER.

CHAPTER XXII . KANUCK.

CHAPTER XXIII . JULIA'S EXPERIMENT.

CHAPTER XXIV . FATE.

CHAPTER XXV . THE MOURNERS.

CHAPTER XXVI . THE ACCUSATION.

CHAPTER XXVII . THE LABELS.

CHAPTER XXVIII . THE TRIAL.

CHAPTER XXIX . NEW EVIDENCE.

CHAPTER XXX . MR. BLESSING'S TESTIMONY.

CHAPTER XXXI . BEGINNING ANOTHER LIFE.

CHAPTER XXXII . LETTERS.

CHAPTER XXXIII . ALL ARE HAPPY.

⁂ To those who prefer quiet pictures of life to startling incidents, the attempt to illustrate the development of character to the mysteries of an elaborate plot, and the presentation of men and women in their mixed strength and weakness to the painting of wholly virtuous ideals and wholly evil examples: who are as interested in seeing moral and intellectual forces at work in a simple country community as on a more conspicuous plane of human action: who believe in the truth and tenderness of man's love for man, as of man's love for woman: who recognize the trouble which confused ideas of life and the lack of high and intelligent culture bring upon a great portion of our country population,—to all such, no explanation of this volume is necessary. Others will not read it.