Because Ellison especially desired to avoid showing any particular interest in knowing the extent of the property, his voice faltered on this question, and he was conscious that his countenance was slightly marked with confusion. “Five hundred acres,” was replied. “Is it near a town?” “Yes. It lies not over two miles distant from a flourishing town, and was considered by my father before his death to be worth seven or eight thousand dollars. He was repeatedly offered that sum for it, but always refused, for he considered its value to be yearly increasing. ‘It will be worth twenty thousand to my children,’ he would say in reply to all offers.” This last sentence caused the heart of Ellison to sink almost like lead. Here, then, was the twenty thousand dollars’ worth of property which his wife possessed in her own right, and upon the income of which he was to dream over and study the old masters in Italy! And so Clara was really worth twenty thousand dollars; but it was in Ohio wild lands, and even for these there was another claimant! It required a very strong effort on the part of the young man to conceal what he felt. How quickly into thin air vanished his hopes! How coldly broke the morning whose dim light showed the painful and embarrassing reality of his position! “Has a suit been commenced?” asked Ellison. “Yes. I have just received word from my agent that the parties claiming the tract of land have instituted legal proceedings.” “What does he say in regard to the matter?” “He says that he has consulted a lawyer, who after looking pretty carefully into the subject, is clearly of opinion that no suit can be sustained. But says that a good deal of trouble may be occasioned, and that the question may be kept open for two or three years.”