that might fail. But give me his
release, and I will have a claim on him."

"And you will require him to go home in acknowledgment of that
claim."

"I will not leave him till he goes back," said Jenny.

"Is he not satisfied in the service?"

"How could he be satisfied with it?" Jenny spoke with a quick
impulse, and with something like rebuke in her voice. "No! It is
crushing out his very life. Think of your own son in such a
position!"

There was something in this appeal, and in the way it was uttered,
that decided the Secretary's mind. A man of acute observation, and
humane feelings, he not only understood pretty clearly the relation
that Jenny bore to Mark and his family, but sympathised with the
young man and resolved to grant the maiden's request. Leaving her
for a few minutes, he went into an adjoining room. When he returned,
he had a sealed letter in his hand directed to the commander of the
ship ----.

"This will procure his dismissal from the service," said he, as he
reached it towards Jenny.

"May heaven reward you!" fell from the lips of the young girl, as
she received the letter. Then, with the tears glistening in her
eyes, she hurriedly left the apartment.

While old Mr. Lofton was yet wondering what Jenny could want with
fifty dollars, a servant came and told him that she had just heard
from a neighbor who came up a little while before from the landing,
that he had seen Jenny go on board of a steamboat that was on its
way to New York.

"It can't be so," quickly answered Mr. Lofton.

"Mr. Jones said, positively, that it was her."

"Tell Henry to go to Mr. Jones and ask him, as a favor, to step over
and see me."

In due time Mr. Jones came.

"Are you certain that you saw Jenny Lawson go on board the steamboat
for New York to-day?" asked Mr. Lofton, when the neighbor appeared.

"Oh, yes, sir; it was her," replied the man.

"Did you speak to her?"

"I was going to, but she hurried past me without looking in my
face."

"Had she anything with her?"

"There was a small bundle in her hand."

"Strange--strange--very strange," murmured the old man to himself.
"What does it mean? Where can she have gone?"

"Did she say nothing about going away?"

"Nothing--nothing!"

Mr. Lofton's eyes fell to the floor, and he sat thinking for some
moments.

"Mr. Jones," said he, at length, "can you go to New York for me?"

"I suppose so," replied Mr. Jones.

"When will the morning boat from Albany