te circumstances that have shrouded our family in
hostility and misery."

"Indeed, uncle, I have no feeling of hostility towards you. God forbid!"
replied Emily, upon whose agitated senses Jaspar's mild words had fallen
like promises of peace.

Jaspar was astonished. He had lost much of the severity of his
disposition in the miseries which had overtaken him. He was humiliated,
his spirit broken, and he could not understand why his victim did not
upbraid him, as he expected, for the wrongs he had inflicted. A
momentary hope of reconciliation on better terms crossed his mind; but
there stood the attorney, who would permit no other compromise.

"I restore your fortune," said Jaspar, with a shudder, as he raised his
head for the first time from the floor to look upon his niece,--"I
restore it, on one condition."

"Name not the fortune, uncle; your peace and happiness are far dearer to
me than all the wealth of the world. You have wronged me, but I freely
forgive you; and Heaven will also forgive you, if you sin no more. O,
uncle, I beseech you dismiss this evil man, and let me be to you as a
daughter!"

"Let us attend to business, if you please, Mr. Dumont," said the
attorney, in a whining tone; for, it must be confessed, the conversation
had assumed a different turn from what he had anticipated.

"I must state the business for which I requested your presence," said
Jaspar, not a little moved by the words of Emily. Human nature is a
strange compound of inconsistencies. This man, whose life had been
stained with crime, was now disposed to regard the past with contrition.
We have seen him scorning even an allusion to the higher life of the
soul,--but success was then within the reach of his crime-stained hand!
Now, failure on every hand awaited him, and all those bravadoes with
which he had kept down his better nature deserted him. Not one scornful
thought came to banish the good angel from his presence. But the feeling
was of short duration. It was but a momentary contrition, which a
selfish hope or a burst of passion could dissipate.

"I will restore your fortune, on one condition," said he. "You can
accept or reject it, at your option."

"I beg your pardon," suggested the attorney, "these were not exactly the
terms of our contract."

"Name the condition, uncle," added Emily, indifferently; for she was
anxious to have the business, whatever it might be, finished, so that
she could again plead with Jaspar for his