der feeling that he hid it from the world, for his was a
rare nature which only revealed itself to the chosen few he honored with
his love." The judge lapsed into a momentary brooding silence, in which
his great arms drew the boy closer against his heart. "Dear lad, since I
left you at Belle Plain a very astonishing knowledge has come to me.
It was the Hand of Providence--I see it now--that first brought us
together. You must not call me judge any more; I am your grandfather
your mother was my daughter."

Hannibal instantly sat erect and looked up at the judge, his blue eyes
wide with amazement at this extraordinary statement.

"It is a very strange story, Hannibal, and its links are not all in my
hands, but I am sure because of what I already know. I, who thought that
not a drop of my blood flowed in any veins but my own, live again in
you. Do you understand what I am telling you? Your are my own dear
little grandson--" and the judge looked down with no uncertain love and
pride into the small face upturned to his.

"I am glad if you are my grandfather, judge," said Hannibal very
gravely. "I always liked you."

"Thank you, dear lad," responded the judge with equal gravity, and then
as Hannibal nestled back in his grandfather's arms a single big tear
dropped from the end of that gentleman's prominent nose.

"There will be many and great changes in store for us," continued the
judge. "But as we met adversity with dignity, I am sure we shall be able
to endure prosperity with equanimity, only unworthy natures are affected
by what is at best superficial and accidental. I mean that the blight of
poverty is about to be lifted from our lives."

"Do you mean we ain't going to be pore any longer, grandfather?" asked
Hannibal.

The judge regarded him with infinite tenderness of expression; he was
profoundly moved.

"Would you mind saying that again, dear lad?"

"Do you mean we ain't going to be pore any longer, grandfather?"
repeated Hannibal.

"I shall enjoy an adequate competency which I am about to recover. It
will be sufficient for the indulgence of those simple and intellectual
tastes I propose to cultivate for the future." In spite of himself the
judge sighed. This was hardly in line with his ideals, but the right to
choose was no longer his. "You will be very rich, Hannibal. The Quintard
lands--your grandmother was a Quintard--will be yours; they run up into
the hundred of thousand of acres here about; this land