color of the skies, the trees, the grass, and the water, to learn
from nature, than did this son of a despised race search books to obtain
that knowledge which his early life as a slave had denied him.

CHAPTER XXXI. THE MYSTERIOUS MEETING

AFTER more than a fortnight spent in the highlands of Scotland, Jerome
passed hastily through London on his way to the continent.

It was toward sunset, on a warm day in October, shortly after his
arrival in France, that, after strolling some distance from the Hotel
de Leon, in the old and picturesque town of Dunkirk, he entered a
burial-ground--such places being always favorite walks with him--and
wandered around among the silent dead. All nature around was hushed in
silence, and seemed to partake of the general melancholy that hung over
the quiet resting-place of the departed. Even the birds seemed imbued
with the spirit of the place, for they were silent, either flying
noiselessly over the graves, or jumping about in the tall grass. After
tracing the various inscriptions that told the characters and conditions
of the deceased, and viewing the mounds beneath which the dust of
mortality slumbered, he arrived at a secluded spot near where an aged
weeping willow bowed its thick foliage to the ground, as though anxious
to hide from the scrutinizing gaze of curiosity the grave beneath it.
Jerome seated himself on a marble tombstone, and commenced reading from
a book which he had carried under his arm. It was now twilight, and
he had read but a few minutes when he observed a lady, attired in deep
black, and leading a boy, apparently some five or six years old, coming
up one of the beautiful, winding paths. As the lady's veil was drawn
closely over her face, he felt somewhat at liberty to eye her more
closely. While thus engaged, the lady gave a slight scream, and seemed
suddenly to have fallen into a fainting condition. Jerome sprang from
his seat, and caught her in time to save her from falling to the ground.

At this moment an elderly gentleman, also dressed in black, was seen
approaching with a hurried step, which seemed to indicate that he was in
some way connected with the lady. The old man came up, and in rather a
confused manner inquired what had happened, and Jerome explained matters
as well as he was able to do so. After taking up the vinaigrette, which
had fallen from her hand, and holding the bottle a short time to her
face, the lady began to revive. During all this