"I will," answered Mrs. Smithers.
"That is settled!" he exclaimed, with a sigh of relief, and kissing her affectionately, he added:
"You are ever good to me, Maria."
"I am only returning the love you have always shown me," she rejoined.
"Get everything in readiness," he continued, "and I will be here with a coach as the shades of night are falling. Heaven grant I may not be too late."
Mrs. Smithers watched him depart, and then went about her work like one in a dream, ransacking drawers and hastily packing up those things that she deemed would be of the greatest use to them. While she was thus occupied the children came in, and regarded her with astonishment.
"Mamma!" exclaimed Alice, "what are you doing?"
"My dear children," answered Mrs. Smithers, "circumstances have occurred which render it necessary for your father to leave Jersey City at once."
"Leave!" said Harold. "Where are we going to?"
"West. That is all I can tell you at present. Let it be sufficient for you that a great calamity has befallen us."