lumbered on,
unconscious of the ill-natured remarks which her non-appearance was
eliciting from Mrs. Livingstone, who said "it was strange what airs
some people would put on; perhaps Mistress Mabel fancied her
breakfast would be sent to her room, or kept warm for her until such
time as she chose to appear, but she'd find herself mistaken, for the
servants had enough to do without waiting upon her, and if she
couldn't come up to breakfast, why, she must wait until dinner time."

'Lena and Milly, however, thought differently. Softly had the latter
stolen up to her cousin's room, gazing pityingly upon the pale, worn
face, whose grieved, mournful expression told of sorrow which had
come all too soon.

"Let her sleep; it will do her good," said 'Lena, adjusting the
bed-clothes, and dropping the curtain so that the sunlight should not
disturb her, she left the chamber.

An hour after, on entering the kitchen, she found Aunt Milly
preparing a rich cream toast, which, with a cup of fragrant black
tea, were to be slyly conveyed to Mabel, who was now awake.

"Reckon thar don't nobody starve as long as this nigger rules the
roost," said Milly, wiping one of the silver tea-spoons with a corner
of her apron, and then placing it in the cup destined for Mabel, who,
not having seen her breakfast prepared, relished it highly, thinking
the world was not, after all, so dark and dreary, for there were yet
a few left who cared for her.

Her headache of the day before still remained, and 'Lena suggested
that she should stay in her room, saying that she would herself see
that every necessary attention was paid her. This she could the more
readily do, as Mrs. Livingstone had gone to Versailles with her
husband. That afternoon, as Mabel lay watching the drifting clouds
as they passed and repassed before the window, her ear suddenly
caught the sound of horses' feet. Nearer and nearer they came, until
with a cry of delight she hid her face in the pillows, weeping for
very joy--for John Jr. had come home! She could not be mistaken, and
if there was any lingering doubt, it was soon lost in certainty, for
she heard his voice in the hall below, his footsteps on the stairs.
He was coming, an unusual thing, to see her first.

But how did he know she was there, in his old room? He did not know
it; he was only coming to put his rifle in its accustomed place, and
on seeing the chamber filled with the various paraphernalia of a
woman's toilet