And so Judge Merlin entered the sick-chamber, which was no longer darkened, but had all the windows open to admit the light and air. He took a chair and seated himself by the bedside of the patient, and for the first time took a good look at him. Ishmael's handsome face, no longer distorted by suffering, was calm and clear; his eyes were closed in repose but not in sleep, for the moment the judge "hemmed" he raised his eyelids and greeted his host with a gentle smile and nod. Judge Merlin could not but be struck with the delicacy, refinement, and intellectuality of Ishmael's countenance. "How do you feel yourself this morning, my lad?" he inquired, putting the usual commonplace question. "Much easier, thank you, sir," replied the youth, in the pure, sweet, modulated tones of a highly-cultivated nature. The judge was surprised, but did not show that he was so, as he said: "You have done my daughter a great service; but at the cost of much suffering to yourself, I fear, my lad." "I consider myself very fortunate and happy, sir, in having had the privilege of rendering Miss Merlin any service, at whatever cost to myself," replied Ishmael, with graceful courtesy. More and more astonished at the words and manner of the young workman, the judge continued: "Thank you, young man; very properly spoken--very properly: but for all that, I must find some way of rewarding you." "Sir," said Ishmael, with gentle dignity, "I must beg you will not speak to me of reward for a simple act of instinctive gallantry that any man, worthy of the name, would have performed." "But with you, young man, the case was different," said the judge loftily. "True, sir," replied our youth, with sweet and courteous dignity, "with me the case was very different; because, with me, it was a matter of self-interest; for the service rendered to Miss Merlin was rendered to myself." "I do not understand you, young man," said the judge haughtily. "Pardon me, sir. I mean that in saving Miss Merlin from injury I saved myself from despair. If any harm had befallen her I should have been miserable; so you perceive, sir, that the act you are good enough to term a great service was too natural and too selfish to be praised or rewarded; and so I must beseech you to speak of it in that relation no more." "But what was my daughter to you that you should risk your life for her, more than for another? or that her maimed limbs or broken neck should affect you more than others?" "Sir, we were old acquaintances; I saw her every day when I went to Mr. Middleton's, and she was ever exceedingly kind to me," replied Ishmael. "Oh! and you lived in that neighborhood?" inquired Judge Merlin, who immediately jumped to the conclusion that Ishmael had been employed as a laborer on Mr. Middleton's estate; though still he could not possibly account for the refinement in Ishmael's manner nor the excellence of his language.