stayed to dinner, and conversed more or less with his uncle while Isabella prepared the meal. Uncle Solomon did not seem at all elated by the appearance of this hitherto unknown and unsuspected relative, though he listened patiently enough to the young man's account of his widowed mother's family, which was large, and her circumstances, which were poor, and asked the visitor to call again in case he should be passing through the town. The young man, according to his own story, was on his way to an institution of higher learning in another town, where he hoped to work his way through. He very gratefully accepted a present of five dollars which his uncle extracted, with painful effort, from a wooden chest under the head of his bed. The old man subsequently made but slight reference to his relations, merely remarking to Isabella that if the boy was a fair specimen of the family, they must be very black; that, for his part, he believed in lightening up the breed, and that his sister had made a serious mistake.

Isabella was not especially interested in the visitor, and under the pressure of household cares soon forgot his very exist ence; for her grandpap grew steadily worse from day to day. In the early part of June the enemy attacked the citadel of his life; his heart succumbed to the disease, and he went the way of all the earth, including even landed proprietors. The doctor must have warned him, however, or he had felt some presentiment of his impending fate; for, a week or two before his demise, he sent for Mr. Henry Williams, the colored lawyer of the town, and made a will in due form, it being necessary to devise his property if he wished Isabella to have it for, it will be remembered, she was not a blood relation, and her adoption had never taken a legal form. The will was left in the lawyer's hands for safekeeping, under a strict injunction of secrecy as to its contents.

Upon Isabella, as the person standing nearest to the deceased, devolved the responsibility for the funeral arrangements. Owing, however, to her youth and inexperience, to say nothing of her very sincere grief, she relied more or less for assistance upon her affianced husband. The Professor counseled a modest funeral; he was opposed, he said, to ostentation in funerals, which was a race weakness

that ought to be combated. He quite sure that Mr. Grundy himself, a of simple tastes, would have preferr neat pine coffin to the more elaborate expensive velvet-lined casket with si plated handles and a glass top, of w Isabella had at first thought. She w have liked to have the sermon preac at the colored Methodist church, of wh Uncle Solomon had been an occasio attendant, though not a regular memb but the Professor suggested that, as colored cemetery was only a short dista from the house, it would be much m convenient to have the sermon preach at the residence, from which the p bearers, if carefully selected for th strength, could carry the body directly the grave, thus saving the expense o hearse and carriages, and setting example of simplicity and good taste in quarter where it was very much neede Isabella could not dispute the wisdom a teacher whom she had obeyed as pu a year before, and whom she was soon obey as a wife; she yielded her ov wishes, and carried out the Professor ideas, even at the cost of some adver criticism from others.

The funeral was, nevertheless, large attended. The lawyer, who was amon those present, had caused it to be know among the near neighbors and intimat friends of the deceased that he woul produce and read the will at the hous immediately after the interment. At th conclusion of the obsequies, Isabella an her relatives, the Professor, and severa near neighbors, including the young black smith, gathered in the sitting-room and waited, with becoming gravity, until Mr Williams produced and read, with profes sional unction, the last will and testament of Solomon Grundy. The estate, as itemized in the will, consisted of the swaybacked house and the land surrounding it, one hundred and ten dollars in money, and a claim of three hundred and seventyfive dollars against the defunct Freedman's Savings Bank. This last item, as the lawyer explained, was practically valueless. The receivers of the bank had paid one dividend, and there was small prospect of another. By the terms of the will the property, after the payment of debts, funeral expenses, and cost of administration, was to be sold at private sale, upon

the best terms obtainable, and the proceeds to go, share and share alike, to Isabella Reynolds and the ten children of the decedent's sister, Elizabeth Goins, of Tarboro', North Carolina.

"This afternoon," said the lawyer, as he folded the paper, "I shall have the will admitted to probate, and the estate will be settled as soon as the court shall direct."

Professor Revels, who had listened closely to the reading of the will, could hardly conceal his chagrin at the disposition of the property. Nevertheless, with an effort at self-control strengthened by his school-room experience, he mastered his feelings sufficiently to take a formal farewell of Isabella, being among the first to leave. The others did not remain long; the will gave them something to talk about, and it seemed hardly becoming to discuss the dead man in the room where his coffined remains had stood an hour before.

Tom Turner was the last to leave.

"I'm sorry, Isabella," he said, holding her hand meanwhile, "that you should lose your grandpap. He was a good man, and we shall all miss him. I know a fellow who would have been glad to do all he did for you, and more, if you had given him the chance. But he doesn't bear malice. It isn't always best for us to have what we want. If I can be of any use to you, call on me--you haven't far to come."

Isabella involuntarily contrasted this magnanimous sympathy with the abrupt departure of her affianced lover, to the disadvantage of the absent one. She was, nevertheless, a sensible girl, and able to appreciate the disappointment which so thrifty a young man as the Professor must have felt upon hearing the will. He would doubtless be around next day, however, for, while the expected inheritance was not to be despised, he had loved her, she felt, for herself as well, and would return to console her in her loneliness and take counsel with her about the future.

Several of the neighbors called next day to see how Isabella took the will, and to condole with her over the loss of the inheritance.

"It's a shame," said one ardent sympathizer, "a burnin' shame. Dat ole man's promisin' all dese years ter leabe you dat house an' lot. I sh'd think he'd

be 'feared ter go befo' de jedgment th❜one wid sech a lie on his lips."

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"Please don't talk that way about grandpap," replied Isabella. He was good to me for many years. He fed and clothed and reared my mother, and did the same for me, and neither of us had any claim upon him. If on his death-bed his conscience smote him because of his poor sister and her children, whom he had neglected so many years, and he felt that he ought to leave something to his own flesh and blood, I surely have no good right to complain. They need it quite as much. as I, and more, for I am going to marry a school-teacher and a man of property, who is able to give me all I need. I owe the old man nothing but respect and affection, and while I appreciate your good intentions, I'd rather not hear anything said against him. If I am satisfied, no one else need be troubled."

Isabella was somewhat disappointed when the day passed without a visit from her lover. She received a note from him next day, in which he explained that the work of preparation for the school examination would occupy him for a few days, so that he would not intrude upon her grief immediately, but would leave her alone with her sorrow for a little while.

The little while lasted for a week, and stretched out into two. Meantime the court appointed Mr. Williams, the lawyer, as administrator of the Grundy estate. There being no reason for delay, the property was promptly sold. When the funeral expenses and costs of administration had been paid, there remained for distribution among the eleven legatees the sum of six hundred and sixty dollars and some odd cents, or about sixty dollars each.

Isabella received this money on Monday morning. She had been notified by the lawyer, several days before, that the purchaser of the property wished to take possession on Wednesday. The two weeks that had passed since the funeral had given Isabella ample time for reflection about her lover. When the third day after the funeral had passed without his reappearance, she had casually walked by the school-house, but had seen nothing of Professor Revels. Once again, a few days later, while coming out from the lawyer's office, where she had called upon business

of the estate, she had seen Revels passing upon the opposite side of the street. She felt piqued that he should go by without seeing her he had hitherto been able to make out her figure at the distance of half a mile. She did not shed any tears, however, but went thoughtfully on her way.

On the Sunday before the Monday on which she received her shrunken legacy, Isabella went to church. She had not put on regular mourning for the old man, but was soberly clad, and wore a black necktie, and a black ribbon upon her sailor hat. She saw Professor Revels sitting upon the men's side of the church, and perceived that he gave a glance, now and then, in her direction-not exactly an ardent glance, but one in which conflicting emotions presented their respective claims in an orderly manner. At the close of the service Isabella left the church slowly. She confidently expected that Professor Revels would walk home with her. She was, indeed, sorely in need of counsel and comfort. In two days she must leave her home. There was nowhere for her to go, except to the small house occupied by her father and his family, in which there was positively no room for her.

Her marriage with the Professor was set for the following week. She might, under more auspicious conditions, have postponed it out of respect to the old man's memory; but under the circumstances, there being no tie of blood between them, the question of her own future became of paramount importance. Until her relations with the Professor should be definitely settled-and it must be admitted that Isabella had felt some misgivings since the funeral-her future movements must, of course, remain undecided. She had been offered, for instance, a country school to teach, and was at a loss what response to make. She had thought a great deal of Professor Revels; respect for his position had been as much an element of her regard as any warmer feeling. She felt that he had treated her rather coldly of late; but if he should come forward after church and walk home with her, she was willing to overlook his neglect and resume their former relations.

The congregation left the church, at the close of the service, by two different doors, most of the men passing out through one and the women through the other, though

H

there was some mingling of the sexes the vestibule. Isabella went out by tl women's door. Her path homeward r quired her to turn to the right and pa the other door at an angle. She saw tl Professor standing by the men's door, ar gave him a full and frank look of invit tion, which she might very properly d he being her affianced husband. started, came a few steps toward he hesitated, lifted his hat, and turned bac as though he had left something in th church for which he must return. Isabel had observed his movements and felt di tinctly disappointed; she nevertheless pr served her outward calm. and proceede on her way with even a little more than he usual dignity, the accession being due t the fact that she had observed several cur ous persons watching Revels and herself

When she had descended the hill nea the church and reached the bridge acros the creek, she saw Tom Turner leaning against the railing, and was conscious o a decided feeling of pleasure at sight o her sturdy young neighbor, who looked quite well in a new suit of clothes. Sh appreciated, too, the delicacy which had made him wait at the bridge rather than by joining her at the church, interfere with other plans which she might have had. He walked home with her, and invited her to dinner at his mother's. She accepted the invitation, after some little demur; she had always liked Tom's mother, who was an even-tempered woman, and a peaceable neighbor.

On the following Monday afternoon about five o'clock, shortly after school hours, Isabella, who was getting ready to leave the sway-backed house, heard a familiar step on the piazza. She opened the door, and admitted Professor Revels. He put out his hand and took her own, which she gave him mechanically. If he contemplated any warmer greeting, she did not encourage it by her manner.

"Good-evening, Isabella," he said, laying his hat upon the table and taking a seat without further invitation. "I hope you are feeling well."

"Yes, sir," answered Isabella—he had been her teacher a year before, and Isabella always addressed him in terms of respect" as well as could be expected."

"As well, no doubt," he rejoined with