314 THE VICARAGE. 



he has been returned missing; he is, therefore, 

 most probably a prisoner. 5 ' 



Lucy heard no more a faint sickness came 

 over her, and she was supported by her affec- 

 tionate mother and sister. On recovering, she 

 begged to be left alone with her father. The time 

 was now arrived when he hoped that the sound 

 religious principles, which had been inculcated 

 would not be thrown away upon his afflicted 

 daughter ; nor was he disappointed. With what 

 delight, with what gratification did he hear from 

 her lips a declaration of her reliance on Divine 

 strength for support and comfort, and the thank- 

 fulness that she had a heavenly conductor who 

 could diffuse hope in one of the darkest hours of 

 life. Perhaps, the good Vicar had seldom experi- 

 enced a more pleasing, or a more triumphant 

 moment than this. Happy as he was in the love 

 and affection of his family, he had the still greater 

 happiness of seeing his virtuous daughter prac- 

 tising those precepts, which, as the guardian of her 

 youth, he had used his best endeavours to instil into 

 her mind. After a short time, he perceived that re- 

 ligion had given a steadiness to her virtue, and pre- 

 served her from feeling herself utterly abandoned. 

 Still, Lucy had a tremulous melancholy which 

 made her start at every sound. She endeavoured, 

 however, as much as possible to conceal it, poured 

 out her father's tea as usual, and occupied herself 



