bending her head
over her work; "yes, I have heard so; but your mother and myself seldom
alluded to the subject."

"Exactly; mother never was fond of talking of him. Well, when I came
ashore and went, as usual, up to the old Washington House, who should I
meet with, all of a sudden, but this rich uncle. He had come to New York
to claim a little girl whom I happened to know, and who happened to
recognize me and name me to him. Well, I knew him only by his name; but
he knew me both by my name and by my likeness to his sister, and
received me with wonderful kindness, offered me a home under his roof,
and promised to get for me an appointment to West Point. Are you not
glad?--say, are you not glad?" he exclaimed, jocosely clapping his hand
upon Traverse's knee, and then turning around and looking at his mother.

"Oh, yes, indeed, I am very glad, Herbert," exclaimed Traverse, heartily
grasping and squeezing his friend's hand.

"Yes, yes; I am indeed sincerely glad of your good fortune, dear boy,"
said the widow; but her voice was very faint and her head bent still
lower over her work.

"Ha! ha! ha! I knew you'd be glad for me; but now I require you to be
glad for yourselves. Now listen! When I told my honest old uncle--for he
is honest, with all his eccentricities--when I told him of what friends
you had been to me----"

"Oh, no; you did not--you did not mention us to him?" cried the widow,
suddenly starting up and clasping her hands together, while she gazed in
an agony of entreaty into the face of the speaker.

"Why not? Why in the world not? Was there anything improper in doing
so?" inquired Herbert in astonishment, while Traverse himself gazed in
amazement at the excessive and unaccountable agitation of his mother.

"Why, mother? Why shouldn't he have mentioned us? Was there anything
strange or wrong in that?" inquired Traverse.

"No; oh no; certainly not; I forgot, it was so sudden," said the widow,
sinking back in her chair and struggling for self-control.

"Why, mother, what in the world is the meaning of this?" asked her son.

"Nothing, nothing, boy; only we are poor folks, and should not be forced
upon the attention of a wealthy gentleman," she said with a cold,
unnatural smile, putting her hand to her brow and striving to gain
composure. Then, as Herbert continued silent and amazed, she said to
him:

"Go on, go on--you were saying something about my--about Major
Warfield's kindness to you--go on." And