Ruth drew it out, and opened it, and
showed it to her.

"Wal, you see that will give Ruth the whole of the Gineral's property in
America, tho' it did leave the English estate to Jeff.

"Wal, the end on't was like a story-book.

"Jeff he made believe be mighty glad. And he said it must a ben that the
Gineral hed got flustered with the sperit and water, and put that
'ere will in among his letters that he was a doin' up to take back to
England. For it was in among Lady Maxwell's letters that she writ him
when they was young, and that he'd a kep' all these years and was a
takin' back to her.

"Wal, Lawyer Dean said he was sure that Jeff made himself quite busy and
useful that night, a tyin' up the papers with red tape, and a packin'
the Gineral's trunk; and that, when Jeff gin him his bundle to lock up
in his box, he never mistrusted but what he'd got it all right.

"Wal, you see it was jest one of them things that can't be known to the
jedgment-day. It might a ben an accident, and then agin it might not;
and folks settled it one way or t'other, 'cordin' to their 'pinion
o' Jeff; but ye see how 'mazin' handy for him it happened! Why, ef it
hadn't ben for the providence I've ben a tellin' about, there it might a
lain in them old letters, that Lady Maxwell said she never hed the heart
to look over! it never would a turned up in the world."

"Well," said I, "what became of Ruth?" "Oh! Cap'n Oliver he came back
all alive, and escaped from the Algerines; and they was married in
King's Chapel, and lived in the old Sullivan House, in peace and
prosperity. That's jest how the story was; and now Aunt Lois can make
what she's a mind ter out on't."

"And what became of Jeff?" "Oh! he started to go over to England, and
the ship was wrecked off the Irish coast, and that was the last of him.
He never got to his property."

"Good enough for him," said both of us.' "Wal, I don't know: 'twas
pretty hard on Jeff. Mebbe he did, and mebbe he didn't. I'm glad I
warn't in his shoes, tho'. I'd rather never hed nothin'. This 'ere
hastin' to be rich is sich a drefful temptation.

"Wal, now, boys, ye've done a nice lot o' flax, and I guess we'll go up
to yer grand'ther's cellar and git a mug o' cyder. Talkin' always gits
me dry."

[Illustration: Tailpiece, Page 052]

[Illustration: The Minister's Housekeeper, Page 053]

THE MINISTER'S HOUSEKEEPER.

Scene.--The shady side of a blueberry-pasture.--Sam Lawson with the
boys, pi