Ever　yours；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WILLIAM　LEGRAND。
  There　was　something　in　the　tone　of　this　note　which　gave　me　great
  uneasiness。　Its　whole　style　differed　materially　from　that　of　Legrand。
  What　could　he　be　dreaming　of？　What　new　crotchet　possessed　his
  excitable　brain？　What　〃business　of　the　highest　importance〃　could　he
  possibly　have　to　transact？　Jupiter's　account　of　him　boded　no　good。　I
  dreaded　lest　the　continued　pressure　of　misfortune　had；　at　length；
  fairly　unsettled　the　reason　of　my　friend。　Without　a　moment's
  hesitation；　therefore；　I　prepared　to　accompany　the　negro。
  Upon　reaching　the　wharf；　I　noticed　a　scythe　and　three　spades；　all
  apparently　new；　lying　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat　in　which　we　were　to
  embark。
  〃What　is　the　meaning　of　all　this；　Jup？〃　I　inquired。
  〃Him　syfe；　massa；　and　spade。〃
  〃Very　true；　but　what　are　they　doing　here？〃
  〃Him　de　syfe　and　de　spade　what　Massa　Will　sis　pon　my　buying　for
  him　in　de　town；　and　de　debbils　own　lot　of　money　I　had　to　gib　for　em。〃
  〃But　what；　in　the　name　of　all　that　is　mysterious；　is　your　'Massa
  Will'　going　to　do　with　scythes　and　spades？〃
  〃Dat's　more　dan　I　know；　and　debbil　take　me　if　I　don't　blieve　'tis
  more　dan　he　know；　too。　But　it's　all　cum　ob　do　bug。〃
  Finding　that　no　satisfaction　was　to　be　obtained　of　Jupiter；　whose
  whole　intellect　seemed　to　be　absorbed　by　〃de　bug；〃　I　now　stepped　into
  the　boat　and　made　sail。　With　a　fair　and　strong　breeze　we　soon　ran
  into　the　little　cove　to　the　northward　of　Fort　Moultrie；　and　a　walk　of
  some　two　miles　brought　us　to　the　hut。　It　was　about　three　in　the
  afternoon　when　we　arrived。　Legrand　had　been　awaiting　us　in　eager
  expectation。　He　grasped　my　hand　with　a　nervous　empressement　which
  alarmed　me　and　strengthened　the　suspicions　already　entertained。　His
  countenance　was　pale　even　to　ghastliness；　and　his　deep…set　eyes
  glared　with　unnatural　lustre。　After　some　inquiries　respecting　his
  health；　I　asked　him；　not　knowing　what　better　to　say；　if　he　had　yet
  obtained　the　scarab鎢s　from　Lieutenant　G　。
  〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　replied；　coloring　violently；　〃I　got　it　from　him　the
  next　morning。　Nothing　should　tempt　me　to　part　with　that　scarab鎢s。　Do
  you　know　that　Jupiter　is　quite　right　about　it？〃
  〃In　what　way？〃　I　asked；　with　a　sad　foreboding　at　heart。
  〃In　supposing　it　to　be　a　bug　of　real　gold。〃　He　said　this　with　an
  air　of　profound　seriousness；　and　I　felt　inexpressibly　shocked。
  〃This　bug　is　to　make　my　fortune；〃　he　continued；　with　a　triumphant
  smile；　〃to　reinstate　me　in　my　family　possessions。　Is　it　any　wonder；
  then；　that　I　prize　it？　Since　Fortune　has　thought　fit　to　bestow　it
  upon　me；　I　have　only　to　use　it　properly　and　I　shall　arrive　at　the
  gold　of　which　it　is　the　index。　Jupiter；　bring　me　that　scarab鎢s！〃
  〃What！　de　bug；　massa？　I'd　rudder　not　go　fer　trubble　dat　bug　…　you
  mus　git　him　for　your　own　self。〃　Hereupon　Legrand　arose；　with　a　grave
  and　stately　air；　and　brought　me　the　beetle　from　a　glass　case　in　which
  it　was　enclosed。　It　was　a　beautiful　scarab鎢s；　and；　at　that　time；
  unknown　to　naturalists　…　of　course　a　great　prize　in　a　scientific
  point　of　view。　There　were　two　round；　black　spots　near　one　extremity
  of　the　back；　and　a　long　one　near　the　other。　The　scales　were
  exceedingly　hard　and　glossy；　with　all　the　appearance　of　burnished
  gold。　The　weight　of　the　insect　was　very　remarkable；　and；　taking　all
  things　into　consideration；　I　could　hardly　blame　Jupiter　for　his
  opinion　respecting　it；　but　what　to　make　of　Legrand's　concordance　with
  that　opinion；　I　could　not；　for　the　life　of　me；　tell。
  〃I　sent　for　you；〃　said　he；　in　a　grandiloquent　tone；　when　I　had
  completed　my　examination　of　the　beetle；　〃I　sent　for　you；　that　I　might
  have　your　counsel　and　assistance　in　furthering　the　views　of　Fate　and
  of　the　bug〃　…
  〃My　dear　Legrand；〃　I　cried；　interrupting　him；　〃you　are　certainly
  unwell；　and　had　better　use　some　little　precautions。　You　shall　go　to
  bed；　and　I　will　remain　with　you　a　few　days；　until　you　get　over　this。
  You　are　feverish　and〃　…
  〃Feel　my　pulse；〃　said　he。
  I　felt　it；　and；　to　say　the　truth；　found　not　the　slightest
  indication　of　fever。
  〃But　you　may　be　ill　and　yet　have　no　fever。　Allow　me　this　once　to
  prescribe　for　you。　In　the　first　place；　go　to　bed。　In　the　next〃　…
  〃You　are　mistaken；〃　he　interposed；　〃I　am　as　well　as　I　can　expect
  to　be　under　the　excitement　which　I　suffer。　If　you　really　wish　me
  well；　you　will　relieve　this　excitement。〃
  〃And　how　is　this　to　be　done？〃
  〃Very　easily。　Jupiter　and　myself　are　going　upon　an　expedition
  into　the　hills；　upon　the　main　land；　and；　in　this　expedition　we　shall
  need　the　aid　of　some　person　in　whom　we　can　confide。　You　are　the　only
  one　we　can　trust。　Whether　we　succeed　or　fail；　the　excitement　which
  you　now　perceive　in　me　will　be　equally　allayed。〃
  〃I　am　anxious　to　oblige　you　in　any　way；〃　I　replied；　〃but　do　you
  mean　to　say　that　this　infernal　beetle　has　any　connection　with　your
  expedition　into　the　hills？〃
  〃It　has。〃
  〃Then；　Legrand；　I　can　become　a　party　to　no　such　absurd
  proceeding。〃
  〃I　am　sorry　…　very　sorry　…　for　we　shall　have　to　try　it　by
  ourselves。〃
  〃Try　it　by　yourselves！　The　man　is　surely　mad！　…　but　stay！　…　how
  long　do　you　propose　to　be　absent？〃
  〃Probably　all　night。　We　shall　start　immediately；　and　be　back；　at
  all　events；　by　sunrise。〃
  〃And　will　you　promise　me；　upon　your　honor；　that　when　this　freak
  of　yours　is　over；　and　the　bug　business　（good　God！）　settled　to　your
  satisfaction；　you　will　then　return　home　and　follow　my　advice
  implicitly；　as　that　of　your　physician？〃
  〃Yes；　I　promise；　and　now　let　us　be　off；　for　we　have　no　time　to
  lose。〃
  With　a　heavy　heart　I　accompanied　my　friend。　We　started　about　four
  o'clock　…　Legrand；　Jupiter；　the　dog；　and　myself。　Jupiter　had　with　him
  the　scythe　and　spades　…　the　whole　of　which　he　insisted　upon　carrying
  …　more　through　fear；　it　seemed　to　me；　of　trusting　either　of　the
  implements　within　reach　of　his　master；　than　from　any　excess　of
  industry　or　complaisance。　His　demeanor　was　dogged　in　the　extreme；　and
  〃dat　deuced　bug〃　were　the　sole　words　which　escaped　his　lips　during
  the　journey。　For　my　own　part；　I　had　charge　of　a　couple　of　dark
  lanterns；　while　Legrand　contented　himself　with　the　scarab鎢s；　which
  he　carried　attached　to　the　end　of　a　bit　of　whip…cord；　twirling　it　to
  and　fro；　with　the　air　of　a　conjuror；　as　he　went。　When　I　observed　this
  last；　plain　evidence　of　my　friend's　aberration　of　mind；　I　could
  scarcely　refrain　from　tears。　I　thought　it　best；　however；　to　humor　his
  fancy；　at　least　for　the　present；　or　until　I　could　adopt　some　more
  energetic　measures　with　a　chance　of　success。　In　the　mean　time　I
  endeavored；　but　all　in　vain；　to　sound　him　in　regard　to　the　object　of
  the　expedition。　Having　succeeded　in　inducing　me　to　accompany　him；　he
  seemed　unwilling　to　hold　conversation　upon　any　topic　of　minor
  importance；　and　to　all　my　questions　vouchsafed　no　other　reply　than
  〃we　shall　see！〃
  We　crossed　the　creek　at　the　head　of　the　island　by　means　of　a
  skiff；　and；　ascending　the　high　grounds　on　the　shore　of　the　main　land；
  proceeded　in　a　northwesterly　direction；　through　a　tract　of　country
  excessively　wild　and　desolate；　where　no　trace　of　a　human　footstep　was
  to　be　seen。　Legrand　led　the　way　with　decision；　pausing　only　for　an
  instant；　here　and　there；　to　consult　what　appeared　to　be　certain
  landmarks　of　his　own　contrivance　upon　a　former　occasion。
  In　this　manner　we　journeyed　for　about　two　hours；　and　the　sun　was
  just　setting　when　we　entered　a　region　infinitely　more　dreary　than　any
  yet　seen。　It　was　a　species　of　table　land；　near　the　summit　of　an
  almost　inaccessible　hill；　densely　wooded　from　base　to　pinnacle；　and
  interspersed　with　huge　crags　that　appeared　to　lie　loosely　upon　the
  soil；　and　in　many　cases　were　prevented　from　precipitating　themselves
  into　the　valleys　below；　merely　by　the　support　of　the　trees　against
  which　they　reclined。　Deep　ravines；　in　various　directions；　gave　an　air
  of　still　sterner　solemnity　to　the　scene。
  The　natural　platform　to　which　we　had　clambered　was　thickly
  overgrown　with　brambles；　through　which　we　soon　discovered　that　it
  would　have　been　impossible　to　force　our　way　but　for　the　scythe；　and
  Jupiter；　by　direction　of　his　master；　proceeded　to　clear　for　us　a　path
  to　the　foot　of　an　enormously　tall　tulip…tree；　which　stood；　with　some
  eight　or　ten　oaks；　upon　the　level；　and　far　surpassed　them　all；　and
  all　other　trees　which　I　had　then　ever　seen；　in　the　beauty　of　its
  foliage　and　form；　in　the　wide　spread　of　its　branches；　and　in　the
  general　majesty　of　its　appearance。　When　we　reached　this　tree；　Legrand
  turned　to　Jupiter；　and　asked　him　if　he　thought　he　could　climb　it。　The
  old　man　seemed　a　little　staggered　by　the　question；　and　for　some
  moments　made　no　reply。　At　length　he　approached　the　huge　trunk；　walked
  slowly　around　it；　and　examined　it　with　minute　attention。　When　he　had
  completed　his　scrutiny；　he　merely　said；
  〃Yes；　massa；　Jup　climb　any　tree　he　ebber　see　in　he　life。〃
  〃Then　up　with　you　as　soon　as　possible；　for　it　will　soon　be　too
  dark　to　see　what　we　ar