CHAPTER XXXVII.

When Mr. King returned from his mournful journey to Washington, he said to his wife:  “I saw George Falkner, and was pleased with him.  His resemblance to poor Gerald is wonderful.  I could see no difference, except a firmer expression of the mouth, which I suppose is owing to his determined efforts to escape from slavery.  Of course, he has not Gerald’s gracefulness; but his bearing seemed manly, and there was no obvious stamp of vulgarity upon him.  It struck me that his transformation into a gentleman would be an easy process.  I was glad our interview was a hurried one, and necessarily taken up with details about Gerald’s death.  It seems he carried him off in his own arms when he was wounded, and that he did his utmost to stanch the blood.  Gerald never spoke after the bullet struck him, though he pressed his hand, and appeared to try to say something.  When he opened his vest to dress the wound, he found this.”

Rosa looked at it, groaned out, “Poor Gerald!” and covered her face.  It was the photograph of Eulalia, with the upper part shot away.  Both remained for some time with their heads bowed in silence.

After a while, Mr. King resumed:  “In answer to Mr. Green’s inquiries concerning the mutilated picture, I replied that it was a likeness of my daughter; and he answered that he had heard a marriage was thought of between them.  I was glad he happened to say that, for it will make it seem natural to George that I should take a lively interest in him on Gerald’s account.  The funeral, and Alfred’s departure for the army, have left me little time to arrange my thoughts on that subject.  But I have now formed definite plans, that I propose we should this evening talk over at Blumenthal’s.”

When the sisters met, and the girls had gone to another room to talk over their lessons, and imagine what Alfred was then doing, Mr. King began to speak of George Falkner.

Rosa said:  “My first wish is to go to New Rochelle and bring home Henriet.  She ought to be educated in a degree somewhat suitable to her husband’s prospects.  I will teach her to read and write, and give her lessons on the piano.”

“I think that would prove too much for your finely attuned musical nerves,” rejoined her husband.

“Do you suppose you are going to make all the sacrifices?” responded she, smiling.  “It isn’t at all like you to wish to engross everything to yourself.”

“Rosa has a predilection for penance,” remarked Flora; “and if she listens daily to a beginner knocking the scales up hill and down hill, I think it will answer instead of walking to Jerusalem with peas in her shoes.”

“Before I mention my plans, I should like to hear your view of the subject, Blumenthal,” said Mr. King.