When he had finished, Mr.Lockwood went to a large cabinet in the room, and, bringing out a bundle of old yellow documents, soon found among them the paper James Fern had spoken of on his death-bed.

It was written by the clergyman living in Longville at the time of old Martha Fern's death, to certify that she had settled, and maintained her settlement on the hillside, without paying rent, or having her fences destroyed, for upwards of twenty years, and that the land was her own by the usages of the common.
'I don't know what use it will be,' said Mr.Lockwood, 'but I will take legal advice upon it; that is, I will tell my lawyer all about it, and see what we had best do.

You may leave the case in my hands, Stephen.

But to-morrow morning we start for the south of France, where my daughter must live all the winter for the benefit of the warm climate; and I must go with her, for she is my only treasure now.

Can you live in your cabin till we come home?
Will you trust yourself to me, Stephen?
I will not see a son of my old servant wronged.' 'Please, sir,' said Stephen, 'the cabin is good enough for us, and we are nearer church and the night-school; only I didn't like to break my word to father, besides losing the old home: we can stay all winter well.