th fair winds, but had been overtaken and overwhelmed in an ocean
storm, and had been put back to shore, so Belton now brought his
battered bark into harbor again.

His brothers and sisters had all married and had left the maternal
roof. Belton would sleep in the loft from which in his childhood he
tumbled down, when disturbed about the disappearing biscuits. How he
longed and sighed for childhood's happy days to come again. He felt
that life was too awful for him to bear.

His feelings toward his wife were more of pity than reproach. Like the
multitude, he supposed that his failure to properly support her had
tempted her to ruin. He loved her still if anything, more passionately
than ever. But ah! what were his feelings in those days toward the
flag which he had loved so dearly, which had floated proudly and
undisturbed, while color prejudice, upheld by it, sent, as he thought,
cruel want with drawn sword to stab his family honor to death. Belton
had now lost all hope of personal happiness in this life, and as he
grew more and more composed he found himself better prepared than ever
to give his life wholly to the righting of the wrongs of his people.

Tenderly he laid the image of Antoinette to rest in a grave in the
very center of his heart. He covered her grave with fragrant flowers;
and though he acknowledged the presence of a corpse in his heart,
'twas the corpse of one he loved.

We must leave our beautiful heroine under a cloud just here, but God
is with her and will bring her forth conqueror in the sight of men and
angels.

CHAPTER XII.

ON THE DISSECTING BOARD.

About this time the Legislature of Louisiana passed a law designed
to prevent white people from teaching in schools conducted in the
interest of Negroes.

A college for Negroes had been located at Cadeville for many years,
presided over by a white minister from the North. Under the operations
of the law mentioned, he was forced to resign his position.

The colored people were, therefore, under the necessity of casting
about for a successor. They wrote to the president of Stowe University
requesting him to recommend a man competent to take charge of the
college. The president decided that Belton was an ideal man for the
place and recommended him to the proper authorities. Belton was duly
elected.

He again bade home adieu and boarded the train for Cadeville,
Louisiana. Belton's journey was devoid of special interest until
he arrived