our liking, no
way; but by and by we did. For when the major died, he sends for me in a
way I told him of; and here's jist the whole of our rascality. We was, in
the first place, jist to kill you off--"

"To kill me, villain!" cried Roland, whose interest was already excited
to the highest pitch by the renegade's story.

"Not exactly with our own hands; for I bargained agin that: but it was
agreed you should be put out of the way of ever returning agin to
Virginny. Well, captain, Dick was then to marry the young lady; and then
jist step into the major's estate by virtue of the major's will,--the
second one you must know, which Dick took good care to hide away,
pretending to suppose the major had destroyed it."

"And that will," exclaimed Roland, "the villain, the unparalleled villain
is still possessed of!"

"No, rat him,--the devil has turned upon him at last, and it is in better
hands!" said Atkinson; and without more ado, he drew the instrument from
his bosom and unfolded it before Roland's astonished eyes. "Read it,"
said Doe, with exulting voice: "I can make nothing of the cursed
pot-hooks myself, having never been able to stand the flogging of a
school-house; but I know the fixings of it, the whole estate devised
equally to you and the young woman, to be divided according as you may
agree of yourselves, a monstrous silly way, that; but there's no helping
it."

And holding it before the Virginian, in the light of the fire, the latter
satisfied himself at a glance that Atkinson had truly reported its
contents. It was written with his uncle's own hand, briefly but clearly;
and while manifesting throughout, the greatest affection on the part of
the testator toward his orphan niece, it contained no expressions
indicative either of ill-will to his nephew or disapprobation of the part
the young man had chosen to play in the great drama of revolution. And
this was the more remarkable as it was dated at a period soon after
Roland had so wilfully, or patriotically, fled to fight the battles of
his country, and when it might have been supposed the stern old
loyalist's anger was at its height. A better and more grateful proof that
the young man had neither lost his regard nor confidence, was shown in a
final codicil, dated in the year of Roland's majority, in which he was
associated with Braxley as executor, the latter worthy having been
made to figure in that capacity alone, in the body of the will.

"This is indeed a