44 NAPARIMA. 



set fire, in her short-sightedness, to the place ; and everything 

 was burned the savings of years, the precious Bible among 

 the rest. The Squire took her down to liis house, and nursed 

 her : but she died in two days of cold and fright ; and Isaac 

 had to begin life again alone. Kind folks built up his 

 ajoupa, and started him afresh ; and, to their astonishment, 

 Isaac OTew younc^ ac^ain, and set to work for himself. He 

 had depended too much for many years on his wife's superior 

 intellect : now he had to act for himself ; and he acted. But 

 he spoke of her, like any knight of old, as of a guardian 

 U'oddess his f:juardian still in the other world, as she had 

 been in this. 



He was happy enough, he said : but I was told that he had 

 to endure much vexation from the neighbouring !N"egros, who 

 were Baptists, narrow and conceited ; and who just as the 

 Baptists of the lower class in England would be but too apt 

 to do tormented him by telling liim that he was not sure of 

 heaven, because he went to church instead of joining their 

 body. But he, though he went to chapel in wet weather, 

 clun<^ to his owai creed like an old soldier ; and came down 

 to Massa's house to spend the Sunday whenever there was a 

 Communion, walking some live miles thither, and as much 

 back ai^ain. 



So much I learnt concerning old Isaac. And wdien in the 

 afternoon he toddled aw^ay, and back into the forest, what 



