to Mrs. Sprowl. She took, unrolled it, and read. It was a pencilled note
in the handwriting of Virginia.

* * * * *

"Dear Sister: Thanks to a kind Providence and to kind friends, we are
safe. I was rescued last night from the most frightful dangers in the
burning woods. I had come, without your knowledge, to get news of our
dear father. I am now with him. He has excellent shelter, and devoted
attendants; but the comforts of his home are wanting, and I have learned
how much he is dependent upon us for his happiness. For this reason I
shall remain with him as long as I can. To relieve your mind we send
Toby back to you. V."

* * * * *

That evening Captain Sprowl entered the house of the absent Mr. Villars
with the air of one who had just come into possession of that little
piece of property. He nodded with satisfaction at the walls, glanced
approvingly at the furniture, curved his lip rather contemptuously at
the books (as much as to say, "I'll sell off all that sort of rubbish"),
and expressed decided pleasure at sight of old Toby. "Worth eight
hundred dollars, that nigger is!" He had either forgotten that Mr.
Villars had given Toby his freedom, or he believed that, under the new
order of things, in a confederacy founded on slavery, such gifts would
not be held valid.

"Well, Sallie, my girl,"--throwing himself into the old clergyman's easy
chair,--"here we are at home! Bring me the bootjack, Toby."

"I don't know about your being at home!" said Salina, indignantly.

And it was evident that Toby did not know about bringing the bootjack.
He looked as if he would have preferred to jerk the chair from beneath
the sprawling Lysander, and break it over him.

"I suppose Toby has told you the news? Awful news! a fearful
dispensation of Providence! Pepperill came in this afternoon and
confirmed it. We thought he had deserted, but it appears he had only got
lost in the woods. He reports some dead bodies in a ravine, and his
account tallies very well with Toby's. We'll wear mourning, of course,
Sallie."

Lysander stroked his chin. Mrs. Lysander tapped the floor with her
impatient foot, gnawed her lip, and scowled.

"Come, my dear!" said the captain, coaxingly; "we may as well understand
each other. Times is changed. I tell ye, I'm going to be one of the big
men under the new government. Now, Sal, see here. I'm your husband, and
there's no getting away fro