“To be sho’ she is,” Sally rejoined. “Eberybody is in some kind of society in Wassinton if they wants to be. A heap of receptions is free. Dar’s de Presidents, and de Cabinet’s wives, and right smart more o’ de big bugs, whar any body can go, and dar’s ways of getting noticed in de papers and havin’ you close described ef you wants to. Wassinton is a great place!” “I should say so,” Miss Hansford rejoined, more convinced than ever that Mrs. Percy was airy. The next time Sally came for water she said that Mas’r James had been clerk in the Treasury when he married Jack’s mother, who was also a clerk in the same department. “Well, if I ain’t beat. I s’posed Mr. Percy was the Great Mogul of the city from the airs his widder puts on,” Miss Hansford thought. “I dare say she was a clerk, too.” Finally she put the question to Sally. “I’se do’ know, but s’pecs not. She was bawn in Wassinton. T’other one was from de Noff,—a mighty nice woman, too, but she had a hard time wid ole Mar’s Roger, cussin’ at de house, and de dinners, and me, and de President, and all hands, and twittin’ Mar’s James for being like de fust Percy, who was a slave like de balance of us.” “What are you talking about?” Miss Hansford almost screamed. “Was he a black man?” “No, bless you; white as you is,” Sally answered, and Miss Hansford continued, “But there never was any white slaves.” “Yes, thar was, way back, most to de flood, I reckon. I heard Mas’r James splainin’ to Miss’s onct after de ole Mas’r had been cussin’ bout him. It’s true’s you bawn, but mebby I didn’t orter speak of it,” and, picking up her pail of water, Sally hurried away, thinking that she had told too much and beginning to wish she had said nothing. After that she was very reticent with regard to the family. But Miss Hansford had heard enough. Ordinarily, she would not have cared for the clerkship. She respected a man and woman who earned their own living if circumstances required it, but there had come to her rumors of Mrs. Percy’s remarks about the F. F. V.’s, and English ancestors, and now all this had resolved itself into Treasury clerks and white slaves. She did not believe the latter, but she never rested until she learned that white people _had_ been sold into slavery in Virginia under Cromwell and the Stuarts, and then she did not doubt that the original stock of the Percys had been among these bondmen. She was honorable enough to keep her knowledge to herself, and only shut her lips a little closer when she came in contact with the lady who had not returned her call because she did not care for mixed acquaintances whom she could not recognize in Washington.