rhaps you had better send for him, and I will question him.

"I will, and I pray that his knowledge may favor me."

Emily sent one of the maids for Hatchie; but she returned in a few
moments, accompanied by Jaspar, who, hearing her inquiries for the man
his rifle-ball had sent to the other world, had come to prevent any
injurious surmises.

This man, Hatchie, had not escaped Jaspar's attention, in the maturing
of his plot; but, as in some other of the particulars, he had trusted to
the facilities of the moment for the means of silencing him. Being a
man, it was not probable he could know much of the events attending the
birth of Emily to his prejudice. If it should prove that he did, why, it
was an easy thing to get rid of him. His rifle-ball or the slave-market
were always available. But Jaspar's good fortune had smiled upon him,
and he felt peculiarly happy, at this moment, in the reflection that he
was out of the way, for he doubted not the object of Emily in sending
for him.

"Miss Emily," said Jaspar, in a tone of unwonted softness, "I am sorry
to say that your father's favorite servant met with a sad mishap last
night, of which I intended to have informed you before, but have not had
an opportunity."

Emily's cheek again blanched, as she saw all hope in this quarter cut
off.

"Poor Hatchie!" said she, as calmly as her excited feelings would
permit. "What was it, Uncle Jaspar?"

Jaspar's lip curled a little at the weakness which could feel for a
slave, and he commenced the narrative he had concocted to account for
the disappearance of Hatchie.

"About eleven o'clock last night," said he, "as I was about to retire, I
heard a slight noise, which appeared to proceed from the library.
Knowing that you would not be there at that hour, I at once suspected
that the river-thieves, who have grown so bold of late, had broken into
the house. I seized my rifle, and when I opened the door the thief
sprung out at the open window. I pursued him down the shell-road to the
river; upon reaching which I perceived him paddling a canoe towards the
opposite shore. I fired. A splash in the water followed the discharge.
The canoe came ashore a short distance below, but the man was either
killed by the ball or drowned. In the canoe I found a bundle of
valuables, which had been stolen from the library,--among them your
father's watch."

"But was this Hatchie? Are you quite sure it was Hatchie?" asked Emily,
with much anxiety; fo