and shoes silently, but as soon as this act was
done, he drew his chair near to Harry's and said:

"You must have known, Mr. Filmer, that I was not blind to the love you
have acknowledged to-day. Nothing that affects Yanna escapes me."

"Then you do not disapprove of my love, sir?"

"I am glad that you love Yanna. I am glad that she loves you. I have
not, either by look, or word, or deed, tried to influence Yanna this
way or that way. I was resolved that Destiny undirected, and
undisturbed, should work out her own ends. But now I may tell you,
that a marriage between you and Yanna will bring back all the Van
Hoosen lands into the Van Hoosen succession; and Yanna will only be
going to her natural home."

"I do not understand you, sir."

"I will make what I say plain enough. All the land the Filmers own in
this locality came from the Van Hoosens. The first white owner of it
was a Peter Van Hoosen, in the year 1750. He owned nearly every acre
between the two rivers, and when he died he left it equally between
his son John and his daughter Cornelia. Cornelia married Abram
Deitrich, and their only surviving child, Anna, married a man called
Maas. They had many children, but the eldest bought from his brothers
and sisters their shares of the land, and at his death left it to his
only child, Martin. And it came to pass that Martin's daughter, called
Mary, married your grandfather, Dominie Filmer, bringing him as her
portion all the land which you possess near Woodsome."

"I remember well that my grandmother's name was Mary Maas."

"I am descended from the son of the original Peter Van Hoosen; and the
son's descendants have been far less fortunate than those of the
daughter Cornelia. All of them had many children, and their half of
the land was continually subdivided, and turned into cash. I was born
poor and landless, being the fifth in descent from my namesake, the
first owner. Cousin Alida, however, has re-acquired much of the
original tract, left to her ancestor John Van Hoosen, and this land, I
know, will come to Yanna; so that your marriage with Yanna will, in a
great measure, bring old Peter's estate intact into the family of his
descendant.

"Knowing these things, I have watched the growth of love between Yanna
and yourself with much interest; yet quite determined to leave affairs
beyond my guiding, without my meddling. Your father knows the whole of
our generations; we have talked it over often; and I think he