With this fatal scene before him, this indecision, he walked the streets, resolving and re-resolving, weighing and re-weighing the consequences, hoping without a chance for hope.  He would be a father as he has been a kind master; but the law says, no! no!  Society forbids right, the law crushes justice,—­the justice of heaven!  Marston is like one driven from his home, from the scene of his happy childhood, upon which he can now only look back to make the present more painful.  He has fallen from the full flow of pleasure and wealth to the low ebb of poverty clothed in suspicion; he is homeless, and fast becoming friendless.  A few days after, as he takes his morning walk, he is pointed to the painful fact, made known through certain legal documents, posted at certain corners of streets, that his “negro property” is advertised for sale by the sheriff.  He fears his legal notice has done little legal good, except to the legal gentlemen who receive the costs.  He retires to a saloon, finds the morning paper, commences glancing over its legal columns.  The waiter is surprised to see him at that hour, is ignorant of the war of trouble that is waging within him, knows him only as a great man, a rice planter of wealth in negroes, treats him with becoming civility, and enquires, with a polite bow, what he will be served with.  He wants nothing that will supply the physical man.  He has supped on trouble,—­the following, painful as it is, will serve him for breakfast; it meets his eye as he traces down the column:—­“Sheriff’s sale.

“According to former notice, will be sold on the first Tuesday in September next, between the usual hours of sale, before the Court House door, in this city, the following property-to wit!

“Three yoke of prime oxen, and four carts.

“Seven horses; two of celebrated breed.

“Twenty-two mules, together with sundry other effects as per previous schedule, which will be produced at the sale, when the property will be pointed out.  The said being levied on as the property of Hugh Marston, of—­District, and sold to satisfy a fi fa issued from the Superior Court, W. W. C—.

“Also the following gang of negroes, many of whom have been accustomed to the cultivation of cotton and rice.  Said negroes are very prime and orderly, having been well trained and fed, in addition to enjoying the benefit of Christian teaching through a Sunday-school worship on the plantation.

“Dandy, and Enock (yellow), prime house servants.

“Choate, and Cato, aged 29 and 32, coachman and blacksmith.

“Harry, a prime fellow of remarkable sagacity, said to be very pious, and has been very valuable as a preacher.

“Seventeen prime field hands, ranging from 17 to 63 years old, together with sundry children, set forth in the schedule.

“Peggy, aged 23 years, an excellent cook, house servant-can do almost any work, is faithful and strictly honest.