More than anything he had ever done in his life, he told his companion, he regretted the making of the gambling debts for which Mr. Allan would have to advance the money to pay.  But, as has been said, he reckoned without Mr. Allan, who settled all other obligations, but utterly ignored the so-called “debts of honor.”

“Debts of honor?” he queried with contempt.  “Debts of dishonor, I consider them.”

And that was his last word upon the subject.

CHAPTER XII.

The late January night was bitterly cold, and clear as crystal.  There was a metallic glitter about the round moon, shining down from a cloudless, blue sky—­too bright to show a star—­upon the black and bare trees and shrubbery in the terraced garden of the Allan homestead.

Edgar Poe looked from his casement upon the splendor of the beautiful, but frigid and unsympathetic night.  Bitterness was in his heart contending with a fierce joy.  At last it had come—­the breach with Mr. Allan—­and he was going away!  He knew not where, but he was going, going into the wide world to seek fame and fortune.

He had much to regret.  He loved Richmond—­loved it for the joy and pain he had felt in it; for the dreams he had dreamed in it.  He loved it exceedingly for the two dear graves, one in the churchyard on the hill and one in the new cemetery, that held his beloved dead.

Yes, he was sorry to leave this home-city, if not of his birth, at least of his childhood and early youth, and his soul was still shaken by the scene with his foster-parents through which he had just passed.  But in spite of all, his heart—­rejoicing in the nearness of the freedom for which he had so fiercely longed, sang, and stilled his sorrow.

But a few weeks had passed since his return from the University.  A few weeks?  They seemed to him years, and each one had left a feeling of increased age upon his spirit.

The home-coming had not been altogether unhappy—­humiliating as it was.  In spite of the black looks of his foster-father, the little mother (bless her!) had welcomed him with out-stretched arms and eyes beaming with undimmed love.  Never had she been more tenderly sweet and dear.  She had given the most beautiful Christmas party, with all his best friends invited, and everything just as she knew he would like it.  Her husband had frowningly consented to this, but her tears and entreaties were all of no avail to win his consent for the boy’s return to college.  Vainly had she plead his talents which she believed should be cultivated, and the injustice (since they had voluntarily assumed the responsibility of rearing him) of cutting short his education at such an early age.  John Allan was adamant.

And so, after the holidays, he had taken his place in the counting-house of “Ellis and Allan.”