The next instant he left the house on a run. But the man was no longer

in the town. Nobody knew where he belonged or whither he had gone.

Hawkins came slowly back, watching wistfully but hopelessly for the

stranger, and lowering his price steadily with his sinking heart. And

when his foot finally pressed his own threshold, the value he held the

entire Tennessee property at was five hundred dollars--two hundred down

and the rest in three equal annual payments, without interest.

There was a sad gathering at the Hawkins fireside the next night. All

the children were present but Clay. Mr. Hawkins said:

"Washington, we seem to be hopelessly fallen, hopelessly involved. I am

ready to give up. I do not know where to turn--I never have been down so

low before, I never have seen things so dismal. There are many mouths to

feed; Clay is at work; we must lose you, also, for a little while, my

boy. But it will not be long--the Tennessee land----"

He stopped, and was conscious of a blush. There was silence for a

moment, and then Washington--now a lank, dreamy-eyed stripling between

twenty-two and twenty-three years of age--said:

If Col. Sellers would come for me, I would go and stay with him a while,

till the Tennessee land is sold. He has often wanted me to come, ever

since he moved to Hawkeye."

"I'm afraid he can't well come for you, Washington. From what I can

The Gilded Age