h would, at no
distant day, place her in possession of a princely fortune. His mind was
so firmly fixed upon the attainment of this treasure that it refused to
bend itself to the task before him.

Jaspar had finished his cigar, and began to be a little impatient.
Thrice he rose from his chair, and looked over the lawyer's shoulder.

"This is an important paper," said Maxwell, noticing Jaspar's
impatience, "and must be executed with great care."

"So it is; but the colonel may die before you get it done," observed
Jaspar, coarsely, and with a crafty smile, which was not unnoticed by
the attorney.

"O, no! I hope not," replied Maxwell, exhibiting the prototype of
Jaspar's smile.

A smile! What is it? What volumes are conveyed in a single smile! It is
the magnetic telegraph by which sympathetic hearts convey their untold
and unmentionable purposes. To the anxious lover it is the bearer of the
first tidings of joy. Long before the heart dare resort to coarse,
material words, the smile carries the messages of affection. To the
villain it reveals the sympathetic purposes of his according fiend. What
the lead and line are to the pilot, the smile, the cunning, dissembling
smile, is to the base mind. By means of it he feels his way into the
heart and soul of his supposed prototype.

Maxwell knew enough of human character to read correctly the meaning of
Jaspar's crafty smile. The attorney had long known that he was cold and
unfeeling, a bear in his deportment, and sadly lacking in common
integrity; but that he was capable of bold and daring villany he had had
no occasion to suspect. As he turned to the document again, the base
character of the uncle came up for consideration in connection with his
suit to the niece. Might not this circumstance open the way to the
attainment of his grand purpose?

But, while he considers, let us turn our attention to the development of
the history and circumstances of the Dumont family.

CHAPTER II.

"_Lorenzo_. You loved, and he did love!
_Mariana_. To say he did
Were to affirm what oft his eyes avouched,
What many an action testified--and yet,
What wanted confirmation of his tongue."

KNOWLES.

On the right bank of the Mississippi river, a few miles above New
Orleans, was situated the plantation of Colonel Dumont, which he had
chosen to designate by the expressive appellation of "Bellevue;" though,
it would seem, from the level nature of t