ess and honor that Anthony Leverett reposed in
him touched him keenly. But this part surprised and, at first, annoyed
him. He drew his fine brows in a repellent sort of frown.

"Do you remember, Chilian, when you were a lad of
eighteen, in your second year at Harvard, you came
to Salem to recruit after a period of rather
severe study? And you met Alletta Orne, who was
four-and-twenty and engaged to me. In some sort of
fashion we were all related. Your father had been
like a father to me in my later boyhood. And, with
a young man's fervor, you fell in love with her. I
was sorry then for any pain you suffered, I am
glad now; for there is no one else in the wide
world I would as soon trust her child and mine to.

"We had been away nearly three years, when we came
back, and the baby was born in the house endeared
to me by many tender recollections. You were away
then, but on our second visit we were the most
congenial friends again. I did not think then it
would be our last meeting. I had meant, after
making my fortune, to return and end my days in my
birthplace. My greatest interest was in the
commercial house I had established. My first mate,
John Corwin, took my place and sailed the vessel.
Then my dear wife died, and I had only my little
girl left.

"I could hardly believe six months ago that I must
die. Should I return, or remain here and sleep
beside the one who had filled my soul with her
serene and lovely life and her blessed memory? I
could not endure the thought of leaving her
precious body here alone. So I chose to remain.
And now I send my little girl to your care and
guardianship without even consulting you. She is
amply provided for, though the business this side
of the world cannot be settled in some time. I
send her with a trusty maid and Captain Corwin,
because I do not want her to remember the end.
Some day you can tell her I am sleeping beside her
dear mother and that we are together in the Better
Land. She has been separated considerably from me
of late,--I have had to be journeying about on
business,--t