The General was moved now, his self-love was all up in arms; he was evidently getting furious.
"Zillah, this is one of your jealous dreams. You have no proof!"
"Master—let me call you so once more—among other benefits which came to me through your kindness, I was taught to read and write—that was a key to much else that I learned afterwards. In a vellum covered book, which Miss Mabel always kept locked with a little golden heart, I saw more than proof of what I say. She lost the key from her watch-chain, one night, and I found it. The book is probably destroyed now, but if it existed, I should need no other proof of what I know to be true!"
"Indeed," said the General, prolonging the word, thoughtfully, "Indeed!"
"Are you going?" exclaimed the woman, as he arose from the divan.
"Yes, Zillah, I have left some important papers in my library that may be disturbed. In a few days I will see you again."
Zillah smiled a soft, exulting smile, but she did not allow it to brighten her whole face till General Harrington had left the room.
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE BOAT-HOUSE.
Down upon the shore, so built as to form a picturesque feature in the landscape, stood an old boat-house, in which Ben Benson made his home when out of active service at the Mansion. Here the stout old seaman kept his fishing-tackle, his rifle, and a thousand miscellaneous things that appertained to his various avocations, for Ben was not only a naturalist and philosopher at large, but a mechanic of no ordinary skill. He not only devised his own fishing-flies, wove his own shad-nets, and game-baskets, but performed the duties of a ship-carpenter whenever his boats got out of order, or a new one was wanted for the river.