“Because, Ratcliff, I want you to give her to me.” Staggered by the suddenness of the request, and puzzled for an answer, he replied: “But she may prove a very valuable piece of property. There’s many a man who would pay ten thousand dollars for her, two or three years hence.” “Well, if you don’t want to _give_ her, then _sell_ her to me. I’ll pay you twenty thousand dollars for her.” “You shall have her for nothing, my dear,” said Ratcliff, after reflecting that the slave would still be virtually his, inasmuch as no conveyance of her could be made by his wife without his consent. Detecting the trap, the wife at once replied: “Thank you, dear husband. This generosity is so like you! Can she be freed?” “No. There are recent State laws against emancipation. It was found there were too many weak-minded persons, who, in their last moments, beginning to have scruples about slave-holding, would think to purchase heaven by emancipating their slaves. The example was bad, and productive of discontent among those left in bondage.” “Well, then, Ratcliff, there’s one little form you must consent to. The title-deed must be vested in Mr. Winslow.” Ratcliff started as if recoiling from a pitfall. The remark brought home to his mind the disagreeable consideration that there was nearly half a million of dollars which ought to come to his wife, but which was absolutely in the keeping and under the control of Simon Winslow. It happened in this wise: The father of Mrs. Ratcliff, old Kittler, not having that entire faith in his son-in-law which so distinguished a member of the chivalry as the South Carolinian ought to have commanded, gave into the hands of Winslow a large sum of money, relying solely upon his honor to use it _in loco parentis_ for the benefit of the lady. But there were no legal restrictions imposed upon Simon as to the disposition of the property, and if he had chosen to give or throw it away, or keep it himself, he might have done it with impunity. Winslow acted much as he would have done if Mrs. Ratcliff had been his own daughter. He invested the money solely for her ultimate benefit and disposal, seeing that her husband already had millions which she had brought him. Ratcliff, however, regarded as virtually his the money in Winslow’s hands, and had several angry discussions with him on the subject. But Simon was impracticable. The only concession he would make was to say, that, in the event of Mrs. Ratcliff’s death, he should respect any _requests_ she might have made. There had consequently been an informal will, if _will_ it could be called, made by her a year before, in Ratcliff’s favor.