Gertrude had been introduced to Henry,
and the pleasant hours that she had spent there with him rushed
unbidden on her memory. It was here that, in former days, her beautiful
countenance had made her appearance as fascinating and as lovely as that
of Cleopatra's. Her sweet, musical voice might have been heard in every
part of the house, occasionally thrilling you with an unexpected touch.
How changed the scene! Her pale and wasted features could not be lighted
up by any thoughts of the past, and she was sorrowful at heart.

As usual, the servants in the kitchen were in ecstasies at the
announcement that "Miss Gerty," as they called their young mistress, was
in the house, for they loved her sincerely. Gertrude had saved them from
many a flogging, by interceding for them, when her mother was in one of
her uncontrollable passions. Dinah, the cook, always expected Miss
Gerty to visit the kitchen as soon as she came, and was not a little
displeased, on this occasion, at what she considered her young
mistress's neglect. Uncle Tony, too, looked regularly for Miss Gerty
to visit the green house, and congratulate him on his superiority as a
gardener.

When tea was over, Mrs. Miller dismissed the servants from the room,
then told her son-in-law what she had witnessed the previous night, and
demanded for her daughter that Isabella should be immediately sent out
of the State, and to be sure that the thing would be done, she wanted
him to give her the power to make such disposition of the woman and
child as she should think best. Gertrude was Mrs. Miller's only child,
and Henry felt little like displeasing a family upon whose friendship
he so much depended, and, no doubt, long wishing to free himself from
Isabella, he at once yielded to the demands of his mother-in-law. Mr.
Miller was a mere cipher about his premises. If any one came on business
connected with the farm, he would invariably say, "Wait till I see my
wife," and the wife's opinion was sure to be law in every case. Bankrupt
in character, and debauched in body and mind, with seven mulatto
children who claimed him as their father, he was badly prepared to find
fault with his son-in-law. It was settled that Mrs. Miller should use
her own discretion in removing Isabella from her little cottage, and her
future disposition. With this understanding Henry and Gertrude returned
home. In the deep recesses of his heart the young man felt that he would
like to see his child and its