Tempest and Sunshine

Chancing to thrust his hand in his pocket, he felt the long-forgotten

letter and drew it forth, then looking at it with wide open eyes and

mouth, gave vent to his surprise as follows: "Who'd a b'leved it! Here's

this letter been in my pocket two weeks. I deserve to be cracked over the

head, and anybody but marster would do it. I'll run and give it to him

now--but no, I won't," said he, suddenly slackening his pace, "I've heard

him say he could always trust me, and if I own up this time, he'll lose

his--what's the word? Conference?--Yes, conference in me. I don't believe

this letter's of any account, for its a great big letter, just like a

man's handwrite. Any way, I'll wait till I get home and consult Leffie."

The letter was accordingly put in his pocket, and in a few moments he

rejoined his master and Mr. Middleton. The next day they returned home.

Rondeau's first act was to draw Leffie aside, and after winning from her

various strong promises of secrecy, he imparted to her the astounding fact

that, "He had found one of marster's letters in his trousers--no, his coat

pocket. It had been there two weeks, and he didn't know what in cain to do

with it. If he gave it to marster now, 'twould make him lose faith in him,

and so forth."

Leffie heard him through, and then fully agreed with him that 'twas best

not to tell marster at this late hour. "But," said she, "I'd put it out of

the way, so 'twouldn't be poppin' out in sight some time."

"Shall I burn it?" asked Rondeau.

"Oh, no," said Leffie; "keep it so marster can have it, if he ever hears

of it. There's your cigar box, take it and bury the letter in it."

"Whew-ew," said Rondeau, with a prolonged whistle, "it takes you women to

calculate anything cute!"

The cigar box was brought out, and in a few moments the poor letter was

lying quietly under a foot and a half of earth.

"There," said Leffie, as Rondeau laid over the spot a piece of fresh green

turf, "nobody'll ever have any idee whose grave this is."

Rondeau rolled up his eyes, and assuming a most doleful expression, said,

"Couldn't you manage to bust a tear or two, just to make it seem like a

real buryin'?"

Leffie answered him by a sound box on his ear, at the same time

threatening to expose his wickedness at the next class meeting. Aunt

Dilsey's voice was now heard calling out, "Leffie, Leffie, is you stun

deaf and blind now that fetched Rondeau's done gone home? Come here this

minute!"