But Ishmael’s supposition was proved to be correct, when late Wednesday night, or rather—­for it was after midnight—­early Thursday morning, the unusual sound of carriage wheels passing the road before the cottage waked up all its inmates, and announced to them the arrival of the judge and his daughter.

Reuben Gray started up and hurried on his clothes.

Ishmael sprang out of bed and looked forth from the window.  But the carriage without pausing for a moment rolled on its way to Tanglewood House.

The startled sleepers finding their services not required returned to bed again.

Early that morning, while the family were at the breakfast table, Sam made his appearance and formally announced the arrival of the judge and Miss Merlin at Tanglewood.

“How long did you have to wait for them at Baymouth?” inquired Reuben Gray.

“Not a hour, sar.  I arrove about sunrise at the ‘Planter’s,’ just the ‘Powhatan’ was a steaming up to the wharf; and so I druv on to the wharf to see if de judge and his darter was aboard, and sure nuff dere dey was!  And mightily ’stonished was dey to see me and de carriage and de horses; and mightily pleased, too.  So de judge he put his darter inter de inside, while I piled on de luggage a-hind and a-top; and so we goes back to de ‘Planters,’” said Sam.

“But what kept you so long at Baymouth?”

“Why, law bless you, de judge, he had wisits to pay in de neighborhood; and having of me an’ de carriage dere made it all de more convenienter.  O’ Monday we went over to a place called de Burrow, and dined long of one Marse Commodore Burghe; and o’ Tuesday we went and dined at Brudenell Hall with young Mr. Herman Brudenell.”

At this name Hannah started and turned pale; but almost immediately recovered her composure.

Sam continued: 

“And o’ Wednesday, that is yesterday morning airly, we started for home.  We laid by during the heat of the day at Horse-head, and started again late in de arternoon; dat made it one o’clock when we arrove at home last night, or leastways this morning.”

“Well, and what brought you down here?  Has the judge sent any messages to me?”

“Yes, he have; he want you to come right up to de house and fetch de farm books, so he can see how the ’counts stands.”

“Very well; they’re all right!” said Reuben confidently, as he arose from the table, put on his hat, took two account-books from the shelf, and went out followed by Sam.

Ishmael as usual went into the garden to work, and tried to keep his thoughts from dwelling upon Claudia.

At dinner-time Gray returned, and Ishmael met him at the table.  And Gray could talk of nothing but the improvement, beauty, and the grace of Miss Merlin.

“She is just too beautiful for this world, Hannah,” he concluded, after having exhausted all his powers of description upon his subject.