"Jovial," said Berenice, addressing the negro, "have you a wife and a

cabin of your own?"

"Yes, madam; at your sarvice."

"Then let it be at my service in good earnest to-night, Jovial; take

this poor girl home, and ask your wife to take care of her to-night; and

receive this as your compensation," she said, putting a piece of gold in

the hand of the man.

"There can be no objection to that, I suppose, madam?" she inquired of

Mrs. Brudenell.

"None in the world, unless Dinah objects; it is not every honest negro

woman that will consent to have a creature like that thrust upon her.

Take her away, Jovial!"

"Come, Miss Nora, honey; my ole 'oman aint agwine to turn you away for

your misfortins: we leabes dat to white folk; she'll be a mother to you,

honey; and I'll be a father; an' I wish in my soul as I knowed de man as

wronged you; if I did, if I didn't give him a skin-full ob broken bones

if he was as white as cotton wool, if I didn't, my name aint Mr. Jovial

Brudenell, esquire, and I aint no gentleman. And if Mr. Reuben Gray

don't hunt him up and punish him, he aint no gentleman, neither!" said

Jovial, as he carefully led his half fainting charge along the passages

back to the kitchen.

The servants had all gone to bed, except Jovial, whose duty it was, as

major-domo, to go all around the house the last thing at night to fasten

the doors and windows and put out the fires and lights. So when they

reached the kitchen it was empty, though a fine fire was burning in the

ample chimney.

"There, my poor hunted hare, you sit down there an' warm yourself good,

while I go an' wake up my ole 'oman, an' fetch her here to get something

hot for you, afore takin' of you to de cabin, an' likewise to make a

fire dere for you; for I 'spects Dinah hab let it go out," said the

kind-hearted old man, gently depositing his charge upon a seat in the

chimney corner and leaving her there while he went to prepare for her

comfort.

When she was alone Nora, who had scarcely heeded a word of his

exhortation, sat for a few minutes gazing woefully into vacancy; then

she put her hand to her forehead, passing it to and fro, as if to clear

away a mist--a gesture common to human creatures bewildered with sorrow;

then suddenly crying out: "My Lord! It is true! and I have no business here! It is a sin and a

shame to be here! or anywhere! anywhere in the world!" And throwing up

her arms with a gesture of wild despair, she sprang up, tore open the

door, and the second time that night rushed out into the storm and

darkness.




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