“Many hard-working ministers of the Gospel have received pupils to educate for hire.  Why may not I, with more time at my command, reserve the privilege of educating my own adopted son and daughter,” he said, and acting upon that thought, had fitted up a little school-room adjoining his library, where, in the presence of Mrs. Morris, Miriam and Paul pursued their studies, Mrs. Morris hearing such recitations as lay within her province, and Mr. Willcoxen attending to the classical and mathematical branches.  Thus passed many months, and every month the hearts of the children were knitted closer to each other and to their guardian.

And Thurston Willcoxen “grew in favor, with God and man.”  His name became the synonym for integrity, probity and philanthropy.  He built a church and a free-school, and supported both at his own expense.  In the third year after entering upon his inheritance, he was received into holy orders; and two years after, he was elected pastor of his native parish.  Thus time went by, and brought at length the next eventful epoch of our domestic history—­that upon which Miriam completed her sixteenth year.

CHAPTER XXX.

MIRIAM.

Six years had passed away.  Thurston Willcoxen was the most beloved and honored man, as well as the most distinguished clergyman of his day and state.  His church was always crowded, except when he changed with some brother minister, whose pulpit was within reach—­in which case, a great portion of his congregation followed him.  Many flattering “calls” had the gifted and eloquent country parson received to metropolitan parishes; but he remained the faithful shepherd of his own flock as long as they would hear his voice.

As Miriam grew into womanhood prudence kept her silent on the subject of her strange vow.  She, however, preserved in her memory the slight indexes that she already had in possession—­namely, beginning with Marian’s return after her visit to Washington—­her changed manner, her fits of reverie, her melancholy when she returned empty-handed from the post-office, her joy when she received letters, which she would read in secret and in silence, or when questioned concerning them, would gently but firmly decline to tell from whom or whence they came; the house-warming at Luckenough, where Marian suddenly became so bright and gay, and the evening succeeding, when she returned home through night and storm, and in such anguish of mind, that she wept all night; and the weeks of unexplained, unaccountable distress that followed this!  All these things Miriam recalled, and studied if by any means they might direct her in the discovery of the guilty.

And her faithful study had ended in her assurance of one or two facts—­or one or two links, perhaps, we should say, in the chain of evidence.  The first was, that Marian’s mysterious lover had been present in the neighborhood, and perhaps, in the mansion at the time of the house-warming at Luckenough—­that he had met her once or more, and that his name was not Thomas Truman—­that the latter was an assumed name, for, with all her observation and astute investigation, she had not been able to find that any one of the name of Truman had ever been seen or heard of in the county.