"I'm glad of it—the boy deserves this streak of luck, if ever a fellow did," he said, as he made his rapid explanations to Alice, who listened like one bewildered, while all the time she was gathering up the golden coin, which kept dropping from the sides and chinks of the bookcase.
There was quite a little fortune, and Alice suggested that it should be kept a secret for the present from all save Mrs. Worthington, a plan to which the colonel assented, helping Alice to recover and secrete her treasure, and then going with her to Mrs. Worthington, who sat weeping silently over the ruins of her home.
"Poor Hugh, we are beggars now," she moaned, refusing at first to listen to Alice's attempts at consolation.
They told her at last what they had found, proving their words by occular demonstration, and proposing to her that the story should go no further until Hugh had been consulted.
"You'll go home with me, of course," the colonel said, "and then we'll see what must be done."
This seemed the only feasible arrangement, and the family carriage was brought around to take the ladies to Mosside—the negroes, whose cabins had not been burned, staying at Spring-Bank to watch the fire, and see that it spread no farther. But Alice could not remain in quietness at Mosside, and early the next morning she rode down to Spring Bank, where the negroes greeted her with loud cries of welcome, asking her numberless questions as to what they were to do, and who would go after "Massah Hugh."
It seemed to be the prevailing opinion that he must come home, and Alice thought so, too.
"What do you think, Uncle Sam?" she asked, turning to the old man, who replied:
"I thinks a heap of things, and if Miss Ellis comes dis way where so many can't be listen in', I tella her my mind."
Alice followed him to a respectable distance from the others, and sitting down upon a chair standing there, waited for Sam to begin.