way upstairs.

They went up three flights of stairs, to a small front room in the third
story, with one window, looking west.

Here Jim sat down the carpetbag, saying:

"It's rather high up, sir; but you see we are expecting Mrs. Middleton
and all her family, and of course the best spare rooms has to be given
up to the ladies. I think you will find everything you could wish for at
hand, sir; but if there should be anything else wanted, you can ring,
and one of the men servants will come up." And with this, Jim bowed and
left the room.

Ishmael looked around upon his new domicile.

It was a very plain room with simple maple furniture, neatly arranged; a
brown woolen carpet on the floor; white dimity curtains at the window;
and a small coal fire in the grate. Yet it was much better than Ishmael
had been accustomed to at home, and besides, the elevated position of
the room, and the outlook from the only window, compensated for all
deficiencies.

Ishmael walked up to this window, put aside the dainty white curtain,
and looked forth: the whole city of Washington, Georgetown, the winding
of the Potomac and Anacostia rivers, Anacostia Island, and the
undulating hills of the Virginia and Maryland shores lay spread like a
vast panorama before him.

As the thicket was a necessity to Judge Merlin's nature, so the widely
extended prospect was a need of Ishmael's spirit; his eyes must travel
when his feet could not.

Feeling perfectly satisfied with his quarters, Ishmael at last left the
window and made his toilet, preparatory to meeting the judge
and--Claudia!

"Oh, beating heart, be still! be still!" he said to himself, as the
anticipation of that latter meeting, with all its disturbing influences,
sent the blood rioting through his veins.

Without being the very least dandyish, Ishmael was still fastidiously
nice in his personal appointments; purity and refinement pervaded his
presence.

He had completed his toilet, and was engaged in lightly brushing some
lint from his black coat, when a knock at his door attracted his
attention.

It was Jim, who had come to announce breakfast and show him the way to
the morning room.

Down the three flights of stairs they went again, and across the central
hall to a front room on the left that looked out upon the winter garden
of evergreen trees. Crimson curtained and crimson carpeted, with a
bright coal fire in the polished steel grate, and a glittering silver
service on th