omething beneath the bookcase, and
stooping down she uttered a cry of surprise as she picked up and held to
view a golden guinea. Another, and another, and another--they were thick
as berries on the hills, and in utter amazement she turned to the
equally astonished colonel for an explanation. It cams to him after a
little. That bookcase, with its false bottom and secret drawers, had
been the hiding place of the miserly John Stanley's gold. In his will,
he had spoken of that particularly, bidding Hugh be careful of it, as it
had come to him from his grandfather, and this was the result. What had
been a mystery to the colonel was explained. He knew what John Stanley
had done with all his money, and that Hugh Worthington's poverty was now
a thing of the past.

"I'm glad of it--the boy deserves this streak of luck, if ever a fellow
did," he said, as he made his rapid explanations to Alice, who listened
like one bewildered, while all the time she was gathering up the golden
coin, which kept dropping from the sides and chinks of the bookcase.

There was quite a little fortune, and Alice suggested that it should be
kept a secret for the present from all save Mrs. Worthington, a plan to
which the colonel assented, helping Alice to recover and secrete her
treasure, and then going with her to Mrs. Worthington, who sat weeping
silently over the ruins of her home.

"Poor Hugh, we are beggars now," she moaned, refusing at first to listen
to Alice's attempts at consolation.

They told her at last what they had found, proving their words by
occular demonstration, and proposing to her that the story should go no
further until Hugh had been consulted.

"You'll go home with me, of course," the colonel said, "and then we'll
see what must be done."

This seemed the only feasible arrangement, and the family carriage was
brought around to take the ladies to Mosside--the negroes, whose cabins
had not been burned, staying at Spring-Bank to watch the fire, and see
that it spread no farther. But Alice could not remain in quietness at
Mosside, and early the next morning she rode down to Spring Bank, where
the negroes greeted her with loud cries of welcome, asking her
numberless questions as to what they were to do, and who would go after
"Massah Hugh."

It seemed to be the prevailing opinion that he must come home, and Alice
thought so, too.

"What do you think, Uncle Sam?" she asked, turning to the old man, who
replied:

"I thinks a