lip began to quiver in sympathy; "don't cry, I'll come back again
to-morrow."

This was too much for the poor teacher, who clasped the child in her arms,
and gave way to a burst of uncontrollable sorrow. At last, conquering
herself with an effort, she led the children down stairs, kissed them both
again, and then opening the door she turned them forth into the
street--turned away from her school these two little children, such as God
received into his arms and blessed, because they were the children of a
"_nigger woman_."

CHAPTER XVI.

Mr. Stevens makes a Discovery.

"Well, Jule, old Aunt Tabitha is gone at last, and I am not at all sorry
for it, I assure you; she's been a complete tax upon me for the last eight
years. I suppose you won't lament much, nor yet go into mourning for her,"
continued Mr. Stevens, looking at her jocularly.

"I'm not sorry, that I admit," rejoined Mrs. Stevens; "the poor old soul is
better off, no doubt; but then there's no necessity to speak of the matter
in such an off-hand manner."

"Now, Jule, I beg you won't attempt to put on the sanctified; that's too
much from you, who have been wishing her dead almost every day for the last
eight years. Why, don't you remember you wished her gone when she had a
little money to leave; and when she lost that, you wished her off our hands
because she had none. Don't pretend to be in the least depressed; that
won't do with me."

"Well, never mind that," said Mrs. Stevens, a little confused; "what has
become of her things--her clothing, and furniture?"

"I've ordered the furniture to be sold; and all there is of it will not
realize sufficient to pay her funeral expenses. Brixton wrote me that she
has left a bundle of letters directed to me, and I desired him to send them
on."

"I wonder what they can be," said Mrs. Stevens.

"Some trash, I suppose; an early love correspondence, of but little value
to any one but herself. I do not expect that they will prove of any
consequence whatever."

"Don't you think one or the other of us should go to the funeral?" asked
Mrs. Stevens. "Nonsense. No! I have no money to expend in that way--it is
as much as I can do to provide comfortably for the living, without spending
money to follow the dead," replied he; "and besides, I have a case coming
on in the Criminal Court next week that will absorb all my attention."

"What kind of a case is it?" she inquired.

"A murder case. Some Irishmen were engag