h.

"Your son was a brave man--he lived long," said Peria, haltingly, at
the close of his story.

"Yes," said the mother of Meriwether Lewis. "He was a brave man. He
was strong!"

"He was unhappy; but why he should have killed himself----"

"Stop!" The dark eyes blazed upon him. "What are you saying? My son
kill himself? It is an outrage to his memory to suggest it. He was the
victim of some enemy. As for you, begone!"

So Peria passed from sight and view, and almost from memory, not
accused, not acquitted. Long afterward a brother of Meriwether Lewis
met him, and found that he was carrying the old rifle and the little
watch which every member of the family knew so well. These things had
been missing from the effects of Meriwether Lewis in the
inventory--indeed, little remained in the traveling-cases save a few
scattered papers and the old spyglass. There was no gold. There were
no letters of any kind.

Soon there came down from Monticello to Locust Hall the coach of
Thomas Jefferson.

"Madam," said he, when finally he stood at the side of the mistress of
Locust Hall, "it is heavy news I thought to bring--I see that you have
heard it. What shall I say--what can we say to each other? I mourn him
as if he were my own son."

"It has come at last," said the mother of Meriwether Lewis. "The
wilderness has him, as I knew it would! I told him, here at this
place, when he was a boy, that at last the load would weigh him down."

"The rumor is that he died by his own hand. I find it difficult to
believe. It is far more likely that some enemy or robber was guilty of
the deed."

"Whom had he ever harmed?" she demanded of Jefferson.

"None in the world, with intent; but he had enemies. Whether by his
own hand or that of another, he died a gallant gentleman. He would not
think of himself alone. But listen--bear with me if I tell you that
could your son send out the news himself, perhaps he might say 'twas
by his own hand he perished, and not by that of another!"

"Never, Mr. Jefferson, never will I believe that! It was not in his
nature!"

"I agree with you. But when we take the last wishes of the dead, we
take what is the law for us. And the law of your son was the law of
honor. Suppose, my dear madam, there were a woman concerned in this
matter?"

"He never wronged a woman in his life----"

"Precisely, nor in his death would he wrong one! Do you begin to see?"

"Did he ever speak to you of her?"

"It was imp