ng her, pain at the thought of the impassable
gulf that yawned them--"so near and yet so far!"

His extreme agitation was not observed by either Reuben or Hannah, whose
heads were again bent over the puzzling letter. While he was still in
that half-stunned, half-excited and wholly-confused state of feeling,
Reuben went slowly on with his explanations:

"'Pears like the judge have got another gov'ment 'pointment, or some
sich thing, as will keep him here in his natyve land; so he and Miss
Claudia, they be a-coming down here to stop till the meeting of Congress
in Washington. So he orders me to tell Katie to get the house ready to
receive them by the first of next week; and law! this is Saturday!
Leastways, that is all me and Hannah can make out'n this here letter,
Ishmael; but you take it and read it yourself," said Gray, putting the
missive into Ishmael's hands.

With a great effort to recover his self-possession, Ishmael took the
letter and read it aloud.

It proved to be just what Reuben and Hannah had made of it, but
Ishmael's clear reading rendered the orders much plainer.

"Now, if old Katie won't have to turn her fat body a little faster than
she often does, I don't know nothing!" exclaimed Gray, when Ishmael had
finished the reading.

"I will go up myself this evening and help her," said Hannah kindly.

"No, you won't, neither, my dear! Old Katie has lots of young maid
servants to help her, and she's as jealous as a pet cat of all
interference with her affairs. But we will walk over after tea and let
her know what's up," said Gray.

After tea, accordingly, Reuben, Hannah, and Ishmael took a pleasant
evening stroll through the forest to Tanglewood, and told Katie what was
at hand.

"And you'll have to stir round, old woman, and that I tell you, for this
is Saturday night, and they may be here on Monday evening," said Gray.

"Law, Marse Reuben, you needn't tell me nuffin 'tall 'bout Marse Judge
Merlin! I knows his ways too well; I been too long use to his popping
down on us, unexpected, like the Day of Judgment, for me to be
unprepared! The house is all in fust-rate order; only wantin' fires to
be kindled to correct de damp, and windows to be opened to air de rooms;
and time 'nuff for dat o' Monday," grinned old Katie, taking things
easy.

"Very well, only see to it! Come, Hannah, let us go home," said Gray.

"But, Uncle Reuben, have you no directions for the coachman to meet the
judge at the landing