The dream dissolved into trivialities. But a springing fountain of joy remained. She awoke with it.

It's an omen, she thought, half-ashamed of the superstition. Today he will surely come.

She sang that day little snatches of popular songs. She played with Gampy, delighting the little boy with her nonsense, joining him in a picnic on the lawn. He begged to take their lunch down the river 'to a new place,' but this she would not do. Nor leave the house a second.

She appeased him with stories, and even, careless of the giggling servants, chased the squealing, ecstatic child round and round amongst the giant live-oaks in a game of hide-and-seek.

'I didn't know old people could run so well,' observed Gampy, after she had caught him.

'I'm not really so very old,' laughed Theo, out of breath.

'I guess not,' agreed Gampy dubiously. 'Anyway, you don't look it now. You look awful pretty.'

'Do I, darling? That's because I'm happy, I guess.'

'Why are you happy?'

' Because—because——' She broke off and stared down the avenue of live-oaks. This time surely she would see Cupid come running with the news. There was no one, only the murmur of a little wind in the trees as it stirred the hanging gray fronds.

Gampy had lost interest. 'It's almost night-time, Mama; maybe we better go in. It's cold.'

'Oh, no,' she cried, ' it isn't late yet. The sun won't set for hours.'

'It has set,' he objected, astounded at this denseness. 'Look over toward the river. It's all gone. Let's have more games in the house, Mama. It's cold.'

She drew him to her, sheltering him with her arm. Silently they walked back to the house.

As the days went by, she did not laugh again or play with Gampy. Though she read to him and supervised his lessons with her usual loving care, there was no more gaiety.

On the first of November, Joseph returned from Columbia. He was glad to be home, pleased to see Theo and the boy, anxious to get out and inspect the condition of the rice fields After he had eaten, he announced that he was going to the overseer's house to confer with him. 'Here are some of the latest newspapers from Columbia,' he said, dropping a sheaf of them on the table before her, 'though I believe there is nothing of special interest'. He went out.

Theo turned the papers over listlessly. It was thus that she came upon an item.

GOVERNOR MERIWETHER LEWIS OF THE NORTH LOUISIANA TERRITORY MOST FOULLY ASSASSINATED

The Governor on his way cast, near Nashville, was set upon by bandits and shot. Every effort is being made to apprehend the murderers.