He fell into a revery as he finished reading this last sentence.  He thought of the dim and dread future,—­all the changes that it would bring to him, to all the living, to the face of the globe, to the order of earthly things.  He saw men of a new race, alien to all that had ever lived, excavating with strange, vast engines the old ocean-bed now become habitable land.  And as the great scoops turned out the earth they had fetched up from the unexplored depths, a relic of a former simple civilization revealed the fact that here a tribe of human beings had lived and perished.—­Only the coffee-cup he had in his hand half an hour ago.—­Where would he be then? and Mrs. Hopkins, and Gifted, and Susan, and everybody? and President Buchanan? and the Boston State-House? and Broadway?—­O Lord, Lord, Lord!  And the sun perceptibly smaller, according to the astronomers, and the earth cooled down a number of degrees, and inconceivable arts practised by men of a type yet undreamed of, and all the fighting creeds merged in one great universal—­

A knock at his door interrupted his revery.  Miss Susan Posey informed him that a gentleman was waiting below who wished to see him.

“Show him up to my study, Susan Posey, if you please,” said Master Gridley.

Mr. Penhallow presented himself at Mr. Gridley’s door with a countenance expressive of a very high state of excitement.

“You have heard the news, Mr. Gridley, I suppose?”

“What news, Mr. Penhallow?”

“First, that my partner has left very unexpectedly to enlist in a regiment just forming.  Second, that the great land case is decided in favor of the heirs of the late Malachi Withers.”

“Your partner must have known about it yesterday?”

“He did, even before I knew it.  He thought himself possessed of a very important document, as you know, of which he has made, or means to make, some use.  You are aware of the artifice I employed to prevent any possible evil consequences from any action of his.  I have the genuine document, of course.  I wish you to go over with me to The Poplars, and I should be glad to have good old Father Pemberton go with us; for it is a serious matter, and will be a great surprise to more than one of the family.”

They walked together to the old house, where the old clergyman had lived for more than half a century.  He was used to being neglected by the people who ran after his younger colleague; and the attention paid him in asking him to be present on an important occasion, as he understood this to be, pleased him greatly.  He smoothed his long white locks, and called a grand-daughter to help make him look fitly for such an occasion, and, being at last got into his grandest Sunday aspect, took his faithful staff, and set out with the two gentlemen for The Poplars.  On the way, Mr. Penhallow explained to him the occasion of their visit, and the general character of the facts he had to announce.  He wished the venerable