To her amazement, however, a strange woman stood in the door.
"Who are you that comes here at this late hour ?" demanded the half-frightened Isabella.
Without making any reply, Mrs.Miller pushed the quadroon aside, and entered the house.
"What do you want here ?" again demanded Isabella.
"I am in search of you," thundered the maddened Mrs.Miller; but thinking that her object would be better served by seeming to be kind, she assumed a different tone of voice, and began talking in a pleasing manner.
In this way, she succeeded in finding out that connection existing between Linwood and Isabella, and after getting all she could out of the unsuspecting woman, she informed her that the man she so fondly loved had been married for more than two years.

Seized with dizziness, the poor, heart-broken woman fainted and fell upon the floor.

How long she remained there she could not tell; but when she returned to consciousness, the strange woman was gone, and her child was standing by her side.

When she was so far recovered as to regain her feet, Isabella went to the door, and even into the yard, to see if the old woman was no somewhere about.
As she stood there, the full moon cast its bright rays over her whole person, giving her an angelic appearance and imparting to her flowing hair a still more golden hue.

Suddenly another change came over her features, and her full red kips trembled as with suppressed emotion.
The muscles around her faultless mouth became convulsed, she gasped for breath, and exclaiming, "Is it possible that man can be so false!" again fainted.
Clotelle stood and bathed her mother's temples with cold water until she once more revived.
Although the laws of Virginia forbid the education of slaves, Agnes had nevertheless employed an old free negro to teach her two daughters to read and write.