gony of the
parting, "an' Dinah her chile."

"Mammy, if money will buy her, you shall have her, too," said Elsie
earnestly.

The remainder of the short voyage was a happy time to the whole of our
little party, Chloe, with her restored husband by her side, now looking
forward to the visit to Viamede with almost unmingled pleasure.

As they passed up the bay, entered Teche Bayou and pressed on, threading
their way through lake and lakelet, past plain and forest, plantation and
swamp, Elsie exclaimed again and again at the beauty of the scenery. Cool
shady dells carpeted with the rich growth of flowers, miles upon miles of
lawns as smoothly shaven, as velvety green and as nobly shaded by
magnificent oaks and magnolias, as any king's demesne; lordly villas
peering through groves of orange trees, tall white, sugar-houses and the
long rows of cabins of the laborers; united to form a panorama of
surpassing loveliness.

"Is Viamede as lovely as that, papa?" Elsie would ask, as they steamed
past one fine residence after another.

"Quite," he would reply with a smile, at length adding, "There is not a
more beautiful or valuable estate in the country; as you may judge for
yourself, for this is it."

"This, papa? Oh it is lovely, lovely! and everything in such perfect
order," she cried delightedly as they swept on past a large sugar-house
and an immense orange orchard, whose golden fruit and glossy leaves shone
brightly in the slanting rays of the nearly setting sun, to a lawn as
large, as thickly carpeted with smoothly shaven grass and many-hued
flowers, and as finely shaded with giant oaks, graceful magnolias, and
groves of orange trees, as any they had passed. The house--a grand old
mansion with spacious rooms, wide cool halls and corridors--was now in
full view, now half concealed by the trees and shrubbery.

The boat rounded to at a little pier opposite the dwelling, and in another
moment our friends had landed, and leaving the servants to attend to the
baggage were walking on towards the house.

CHAPTER SIXTH.

"Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods?
Draw near them then in being merciful,
Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge."
--SHAKESPEARE.

"Papa, it seems an earthly paradise," said Elsie, "and like a dream that I
have seen all before."

"A dream that was a reality. And it is all your own, my darling," he
answered with a proud, fond look into the bri