ment, papa, and learn his habits. Count and identify those
notes!"

Judge Custis looked them over separately, ran the number of notes he had
given over in his mind, and said:

"Yes, he has made fair restitution. There are none missing."

"Restitution implies that he has robbed you, papa. A just man did not
speak there! Every penny in those debts is stamped with Mr. Milburn's
injuries and coined by his sacrifices. Have you spent his money
remembering that?"

"No, my child, I suppose not."

"Give me the notes, papa."

She took them and sat thinking a few moments silently.

"If I were a man, papa," she said at length, "I would try to learn
business sense. It must be so respectable to live with one's mind able
to help one's security and one's friends, and prepare for age or
sickness while strong and healthy. Now, I think I will not let you burn
these notes till you have paid the price of them! Please write a
transfer of this house, servants, and your manor to me, Vesta----yes,
Vesta Milburn!"

She blushed as she spoke for the first time her new-worn name.

"Alas!" sighed her father, "Vesta Custis no more. I begin to feel it.
Well, Mrs. Milburn--I will give you the title--for what must I make over
these old properties to you?"

"In consideration of my repayment of the sum of my mother's estate to
you for her, for which you have given her no security whatever. It is
not provided for by these notes. I have only Mr. Meshach Milburn's
promise that he will pay her this money, risked and lost by you, father,
I fear very heedlessly. Is it restitution, also, for Mr. Milburn to
strip himself to pay your debts to mother?"

"No," said the Judge, guiltily, "that he pays on account of his passion
for you. He may cheat you there."

"I do not believe it, because he has been faithful to me so many years
before I knew he loved me. A man who keeps himself pure for a woman he
has no vows to, will pay her father's debts of honor when he has
promised."

Judge Custis found the issue quite too warm for his convenience, and
blushing as much as Vesta, he sat down and drew up a conveyance of his
property to Vesta Milburn, in her own right, and in consideration of
twenty-five thousand dollars, paid to Mrs. Lucy Custis on account of
judgment confessed to her by Daniel Custis.

"There, my dear," he said, passing it over, "what do you want with it?
Are you not sure of a home here as long as you live, even with me as the
proprietor?"