a closer student than the rest of them he did not like any better than she him was he trying a game of mischief with some purpose that was not apparent on the surface out of it all emerged sure of but on jl black thing he must use his eyes if loved she could not hide it successfully from him now that he had this clue the girl s novel was selling fairly well had made a bargain with that was very favorable it gave him an excuse to talk with the as much as he pleased and he used his advantage he brought her the comments of the press not that they amounted to anything for it was evident that most of the critics had merely through the pages he came to tell her the latest things that had said what proportion of cloth and paper covers were being ordered and the other gossip of the house and now he talked about the work that was engaged on and grew enthusiastic declaring that the young man would yet make a place for himself beside the and struck him as caring much more for news of her own production than that of the young man who had been represented as the object of her adoration if she was half as fond of as intimated she was certainly successful in concealing her sentiments from the shrewd observer the result of a fortnight s investigation convinced that the negro had made a complete mistake and all the that had arisen were allowed to into thin air and fly away another two weeks passed and still remained with the an inquiry of produced the answer that he thought of remaining in america till spring the girl tried to act as if it made not the slightest consequence to her whether he went or stayed but she did not succeed mr knew that she wished most heartily for the time when the negro would take his departure she was bound up in her father and was worrying him to death from whatever cause she wanted the tie between him and this black man broken and hated every day that stood between them and his hour of sailing was almost as uneasy as over the delay he had given her the money she asked for though no allusion to its purpose had been made she still had it somewhere unless she had given it to the one for whom it was intended when she took the from his hand she rose on her and kissed him with the most affectionate of gestures it was the second occasion on which he had been permitted to touch her lips and he appreciated it fully he realized from her action how deeply she felt his kindness in providing her with the funds that were to relieve her father of an that was his very life you don t find much use for our black yet i see said as he laid down the latest page of the slowly building novel i had hoped you would penetrate the secret of his power over your heroine s father by this time no i cannot understand it at all replied and if you with your superior quickness of perception have found nothing i don t see how you could expect me to you have greater opportunities said with a black a smile that was not quite natural you have the ear of the fair miss remember he explained in reply to the inquiring look that was raised to him ah but she knows nothing either exclaimed i am sure of that mr was silent for some moments well if you cannot find the true cause he said you will have to invent a one your novel cannot stand still forever imagine something a crime for instance of which this black fellow is a murder that he peeped in at a and saw how would that do turned pale you know he said that you are talking of on the contrary nothing is impossible responded the other impatiently college professors delicate ladies children not yet in their have committed why not this handsome gentleman in the wool business or if you won t have murder and i agree that blood is rather tiresome it has been so much bring a woman into the case let us have a a wronged virgin and that sort of thing the color did not return to the young man s cheek which is still more incredible in the present case he said do you think could do evil to a woman look in his face once and dismiss within tne let us hate a its a desperate expression crossed the countenance of the elder man you must agree that he has done something v he cried he wouldn t allow a to annoy him like this for fun would he he wouldn t wear that look and let his child grow thin with just as a matter of amusement to this could not a suitable answer he felt the force of the suggestions but he would not associate crime with the gentleman who was the object of these suspicions he simply could not think of anything in connection with s father and it seemed almost as bad to invent an for the character in his novel whose photograph he had thus far taken from mr was surprised a month after this to have mr stop her in the and speak with a new why don t that cursed start for europe he asked she glanced around her with a frightened look she feared ears that should not might hear them but she rallied as she reflected that was miles away in fact in the city with her father he is going soon she replied but why do you allude to him by that harsh term i thought you rather liked him i do he answered 