'Right smart, massa, right smart,' replied the woman; then turning round and recognizing the Squire, she added: 'Oh, massa Preston, am dat 'ou? Oh! I'se so 'joiced 'ou got Ally; I'se _so_ 'joiced! De Lord hear my prayer, massa--de Lord hear my prayer. I feel like I die wid joy, de Lord so good ter me. Oh, He'm so good ter me!' 'The Lord is good to all who love Him; He never fails those that trust in Him,' said Preston, solemnly. 'No more'n He doan't, massa; no more'n he doan't. De good missus tole me dat jess af'er dey toted de pore chile 'way; but I couldn't b'lieve it, massa, I couldn't b'lieve it. It 'peared like I neber see 'im agin--neber see 'im agin, but I prayed de Lord, massa, I prayed de Lord all de time--all de time dat de chile wus 'way; I hab no sleep, I eat most nuffin, an' my heart grow so big, I fought it would clean broke; but lass night, jess wen it 'peared like I couldn't stan' it no more; wen I wus a cryin' an' a groanin' to de Lord wid all my might, den, massa, de Lord, He hard me, an' He open de door, an' de little chile run in, an' put him arms round my neck, and he telled me I need neber cry no more, 'case de good massa Preston hab got him! Oh, it wus too much, massa, fur 'ou's so good, de Lord's so good, massa! Oh, I feel like I should die ob joy.' Here she sat down on a rude bench near by, covered her face with her apron, and sobbed like a child. Preston's eyes filled with tears, but brushing them hastily away, he asked, as if to change the subject: 'Did you say the 'missus' had been down?' 'Yes, massa, de good missus come down jess so soon as she hard Phylly war sold, an' wen she fine Ally war gwine too, she come ter see de ole 'ooman, she did, massa--and she try to comfut me. She say de good Lord would fotch Ally back, and He hab, massa! Oh, He hab!' 'Well, Dinah, what shall we do with Ally? Do you want him to go to the plantation?' 'Oh, yas, massa, I want de chile ter be wid 'ou. I'd _rudder_ he'd be wid 'ou, massa; but massa'--and she spoke timidly, and with hesitation--''ou knows ole massa promise ter sell Ally ter me--ter sell 'im ter me wen I'd a sabed up 'nuff ter buy 'im. An' will 'ou, massa, will 'ou?' 'Yes, Dinah, of course I will,' said Preston. 'Oh! bress 'ou, massa; bress 'ou. It'm so good ob 'ou, _so_ good ob 'ou, massa;' and she sobbed harder than before. 'How much have you saved up, aunty?' 'A hun'red and firteen, massa; an' dar's some more'n dat massa Blackwell am ter gib fur de usin' on it. Massa Blackwell got it. How much shill I pay fur Ally, massa?' 'Well, I don't know; the trader offered three hundred for him; you may have him for half that.' 'How much 's dat, massa?' 'A hundred and fifty dollars.' 'He'm wuth more'n dat, massa Preston; ole massa say Ally wuth two hun'red an' fifty or three hun'red ob any folks' money. He'm a likely boy, massa.' 'Yes, I know that; I don't mean to undervalue him. I wouldn't sell him to any one else for less than three hundred dollars.'