"Why--you don't mean to tell me that your wife has presented you with twins?" exclaimed the judge, both surprised and amused at the announcement. "Well, yes, sir," said Reuben proudly. "But you are such an elderly couple!" laughed the judge. "Well, yes, sir, so we is! And that, I take it, is the very reason on't. You see, I think, sir, because we married very late in life--poor Hannah and me--natur' took a consideration on to it, and, as we hadn't much time before us, she sent us two at once! at least, if that aint the reason, I can't account for them both in any other way!" said Reuben, looking up. "That's it! You've hit it, Reuben!" said the judge, laughing. "And mind, if they live, I'll stand godfather to the babies at the christening. Are they fine healthy children?" "As bouncing babies, sir, as ever you set eyes on!" answered Reuben triumphantly. "Count on me, then, Gray." "Thank you, sir! And, your honor--" "Well, Gray?" "Soon as ever Ishmael is able to hear the news, tell him, will you, please? I think it will set him up, and help him on towards his recovery." "I think so, too," said the judge. Reuben touched his hat and withdrew. And the judge returned to the house. Claudia had come down and breakfasted, but was in a state of great annoyance because she was denied admittance to the bedside of her suffering favorite. The judge, to divert her thoughts, told her of the bountiful present nature had made to Hannah and Reuben Gray. At which Miss Claudia was so pleased that she got up and went to hunt through all her finery for presents for the children. CHAPTER XLIII. THE HEIRESS. Trust me, Clara Vere de Vere, From yon blue heavens above us bent, The grand old gardener and his wife Smile at the claims of long descent, Howe'er it be, it seems to me, 'Tis only noble to be good; Kind hearts are more than coronets, And simple faith than Norman blood. --_Tennyson_. Almost any other youth than Ishmael Worth would have died of such injuries as he had sustained. But owing to that indestructible vitality and irrepressible elasticity of organization which had carried him safely through the deadly perils of his miserable infancy, he survived. About the fourth day of his illness the irritative fever of his wounds having been subdued, Judge Merlin was admitted to see and converse with him. Up to this morning the judge had thought of the victim only as the overseer's nephew, a poor, laboring youth about the estate, who had got hurt in doing his duty and stopping Miss Merlin's runaway horses; and he supposed that he, Judge Merlin, had done his part in simply taking the suffering youth into his own house and having him properly attended to. And now the judge went to the patient with the intention of praising his courage and offering him some proper reward for his services--as, for instance, a permanent situation to work on the estate for good wages.