d
House.

The startled sleepers finding their services not required returned to
bed again.

Early that morning, while the family were at the breakfast table, Sam
made his appearance and formally announced the arrival of the judge and
Miss Merlin at Tanglewood.

"How long did you have to wait for them at Baymouth?" inquired Reuben
Gray.

"Not a hour, sar. I arrove about sunrise at the 'Planter's,' just the
'Powhatan' was a steaming up to the wharf; and so I druv on to the wharf
to see if de judge and his darter was aboard, and sure nuff dere dey
was! And mightily 'stonished was dey to see me and de carriage and de
horses; and mightily pleased, too. So de judge he put his darter inter
de inside, while I piled on de luggage a-hind and a-top; and so we goes
back to de 'Planters,'" said Sam.

"But what kept you so long at Baymouth?"

"Why, law bless you, de judge, he had wisits to pay in de neighborhood;
and having of me an' de carriage dere made it all de more convenienter.
O' Monday we went over to a place called de Burrow, and dined long of
one Marse Commodore Burghe; and o' Tuesday we went and dined at
Brudenell Hall with young Mr. Herman Brudenell."

At this name Hannah started and turned pale; but almost immediately
recovered her composure.

Sam continued:

"And o' Wednesday, that is yesterday morning airly, we started for home.
We laid by during the heat of the day at Horse-head, and started again
late in de arternoon; dat made it one o'clock when we arrove at home
last night, or leastways this morning."

"Well, and what brought you down here? Has the judge sent any messages
to me?"

"Yes, he have; he want you to come right up to de house and fetch de
farm books, so he can see how the 'counts stands."

"Very well; they're all right!" said Reuben confidently, as he arose
from the table, put on his hat, took two account-books from the shelf,
and went out followed by Sam.

Ishmael as usual went into the garden to work, and tried to keep his
thoughts from dwelling upon Claudia.

At dinner-time Gray returned, and Ishmael met him at the table. And Gray
could talk of nothing but the improvement, beauty, and the grace of Miss
Merlin.

"She is just too beautiful for this world, Hannah," he concluded, after
having exhausted all his powers of description upon his subject.

After dinner Ishmael went upstairs to his books, and Hannah took
advantage of his absence to say to Gray:

"Reuben, I wish you would