His tone betrayed a sorrowful but impersonal regret over the refractory Cynthia, and their joint offspring. Evilena laughed. "Where did you get so well acquainted with the scripture, Nelse?" she asked. "I know you never did learn it from your beloved old Mahs Duke Loring. I want you to tell this gentleman all about the old racing days. This is Dr. Delaven (Nelse made a profound bow). He has seen great races abroad and hunted foxes in Ireland. I want you to tell him of the bear hunts, and the horses you used to ride, and how you rode for freedom. The race was so important, Dr. Delaven, that Marmaduke Loring promised Nelse his freedom if he won it, and he had been offered three thousand, five hundred dollars for Nelse, more than once." "Nevah was worth as much to myself as I was to Mahs Duke," said Nelse, shaking his head. "I tell yo' true, freedom was a sure enough hoodoo, far as I was concerned; nevah seemed to get so much out o' the horses after I was my own man; nevah seemed to see so much money as I owned befo', an' every plum thing I 'vested in was a failure from the start; there was that gal o' Mahs Masterson's--that there Cynthy--" The old man's garrulity was checked by the noiseless entrance of Margeret. He gave a distinct start as he saw her. "I--I s'lute yo', Miss Retta," he said, sweeping his cap along the floor and bowing from where he sat. She glanced at him, bent her head slightly in acknowledgment, but did not address him. "Miss Loring asks to see you in the dining room, Mistress Nesbitt," she said softly; then drawing a blind where the sun was too glaring, and opening another that the breeze might be more apparent, she passed silently out. The old man never spoke until she disappeared. "My king!--she get mo' ghost-like every yeah, that Retta," he said, while Evilena gathered up the ball of stocking yard and wound it for Mrs. Nesbitt; "only the eyes o' that woman would tell a body who she is, these days; seems like the very shape o' her face been changed sence she--" "Nelse," said Mrs. Nesbitt, a trifle sharply, "whatever you do you are not to let Mr. Loring know about those runaways; maybe you better keep out of his sight altogether this visit, for he's sure to ask questions about everything, and the doctor's orders are that he is not to see folks or have any business talks--you understand? and nothing ever does excite him so much as a runaway." "Oh, yes, Miss Sajane, I un'stan'; I'll keep out. Hearen' how things was I jes' come down to see if Miss Gertrude needs any mo' help looken' after them field niggahs. They nevah run away from _me_."