Ishmael bowed gravely, in assent.

“Very well, my young friend; I will not inquire what it may be,” said Judge Merlin, who was busying himself at his writing bureau, among some papers, from which he selected one, which he brought forward to the youth, saying: 

“Here, Ishmael—­here is a memorandum of your services, which I have taken care to keep; for I knew full well that if I waited for you to present me a bill, I might wait forever.  You will learn to do such things, however, in time.  Now I find by my memorandum that I owe you about sixty dollars.  Here is the money.  There, now, do not draw back and flush all over your face at the idea of taking money you have well earned.  Oh, but you will get over that in time, and when you are a lawyer you will hold out your hand for a thumping fee before you give an opinion on a case!” laughed the judge, as he forced a roll of banknotes into Ishmael’s hands, and left the library.

The remainder of the day was spent in sending off wagon loads of boxes to the landing on the river side, where they were taken off by a rowboat, and conveyed on board the “Canvas Back,” that lay at anchor opposite Tanglewood, waiting for the freight, to transport it to the city.

On the following Saturday morning the judge and his daughter left Tanglewood for Washington.  They traveled in the private carriage, driven by the heroic Sam, and attended by a mounted groom.  The parting, which shook Ishmael’s whole nature like a storm, nearly rending soul and body asunder, seemed to have but little effect upon Miss Merlin.  She went through it with great decorum, shaking hands with Ishmael, wishing him success, and hoping to see him, some fine day, on the bench!

This Claudia said laughing, as with good-humored raillery.

But Ishmael bowed very gravely, and though his heart was breaking, answered calmly: 

“I hope so too, Miss Merlin.  We shall see.”

“Au revoir!” said Claudia, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

“Until we meet!” answered Ishmael solemnly, as he closed the carriage door and gave the coachman the word to drive off.

As the carriage rolled away the beautiful girl, who was its sole passenger, and whose eyes had been sparkling with mirth but an instant before, now threw her hands up to her face, fell back in her seat, and burst into a tempest of sobs and tears.

Ignorant of what was going on within its curtained inclosure, Ishmael remained standing and gazing after the vanishing carriage, which was quickly lost to view in the deep shadows of the forest road, until Judge Merlin, who at the last moment had decided to travel on horseback, rode up to take leave of him and follow the carriage.

“Well, good-by, my young friend!  Take care of yourself,” were the last adieus of the judge, as he shook hands with Ishmael, and rode away.

“I wish you a pleasant journey, sir,” were the final words of Ishmael, sent after the galloping horse.