ole at once.

"In Ohio!" shrieked Mrs. Livingstone, fiercely grasping 'Lena's arm.
"What has she gone to Ohio for? Speak, ingrate, for you have done
the deed--I am sure of that!"

"It was Mr. Everett's wish to return home that way I believe," coolly
answered 'Lena, without quailing in the least from the eyes bent so
angrily upon her.

Instantly Mrs. Livingstone's fingers loosened their grasp, while her
face grew livid with mingled passion and fear. Her fraud was
discovered--her stratagem had failed--and she was foiled in this, her
second darling scheme. But she was yet to learn what agency 'Lena
had in the matter, and this information her husband obtained for her.
There was no anger in the tones of his voice when he asked his niece
to explain the mystery, else she might not have answered, for 'Lena
could not be driven. Now, however, she felt that he had a right to
know, and she told him all she knew; what she had done herself and
why she had done it; that General Fontaine, to whom Malcolm had gone
in his trouble, had kindly assisted him by lending both servants and
carriage; but upon the intercepted letters she could throw no light.

"'Twas a cursed act, and whoever was guilty of it is unworthy the
name of either man or woman," said Mr. Livingstone, while his eye
rested sternly upon his wife.

She knew that he suspected her, but he had no proof, and resolving to
make the best of the matter, she, too, united with him in denouncing
the deed, wondering who could have done it, and meanly suggesting
Maria Fontaine, a pupil of Mr. Everett's, who had, at one time, felt
a slight preference for him. But this did not deceive her
husband--neither did it help her at all in the present emergency.
The bride was gone, and already she felt the tide of scandal and
gossip which she knew would be the theme of the entire neighborhood.
Still, if her own shameful act was kept a secret she could bear it,
and it must be. No one knew of it except Captain Atherton and
Caesar, the former of whom would keep his own counsel, while fear of
a passport down the river, the negroes' dread, would prevent the
latter from telling.

Accordingly, her chagrin was concealed, and affecting to treat the
whole matter as a capital joke, worthy of being immortalized in
romance, she returned to her room, and hastily writing a few lines,
rang the bell for Caesar who soon appeared, declaring that "as true
as he lived and breathed and drew the breath of l