ment, however, a strange
woman stood in the door.

"Who are you that comes here at this late hour?" demanded the
half-frightened Isabella.

Without making any reply, Mrs. Miller pushed the quadroon aside, and
entered the house.

"What do you want here?" again demanded Isabella.

"I am in search of you," thundered the maddened Mrs. Miller; but
thinking that her object would be better served by seeming to be kind,
she assumed a different tone of voice, and began talking in a pleasing
manner.

In this way, she succeeded in finding out that connection existing
between Linwood and Isabella, and after getting all she could out of the
unsuspecting woman, she informed her that the man she so fondly loved
had been married for more than two years. Seized with dizziness, the
poor, heart-broken woman fainted and fell upon the floor. How long
she remained there she could not tell; but when she returned to
consciousness, the strange woman was gone, and her child was standing by
her side. When she was so far recovered as to regain her feet, Isabella
went to the door, and even into the yard, to see if the old woman was no
somewhere about.

As she stood there, the full moon cast its bright rays over her whole
person, giving her an angelic appearance and imparting to her flowing
hair a still more golden hue. Suddenly another change came over her
features, and her full red kips trembled as with suppressed emotion.
The muscles around her faultless mouth became convulsed, she gasped for
breath, and exclaiming, "Is it possible that man can be so false!" again
fainted.

Clotelle stood and bathed her mother's temples with cold water until she
once more revived.

Although the laws of Virginia forbid the education of slaves, Agnes had
nevertheless employed an old free negro to teach her two daughters
to read and write. After being separated from her mother and sister,
Isabella turned her attention to the subject of Christianity, and
received that consolation from the Bible which is never denied to the
children of God. This was now her last hope, for her heart was torn with
grief and filled with all the bitterness of disappointment.

The night passed away, but without sleep to poor Isabella. At the dawn
of day, she tried to make herself believe that the whole of the past
night was a dream, and determined to be satisfied with the explanation
which Henry should give on his next visit.

CHAPTER XII. THE MOTHER-IN-LAW

WHEN Ha