It had never occurred to him to bring her anything, but he wished now that he had, and began to wonder what he had that would please a child. He was fond of jewelry, and wore on his watch-chain several ornaments, and among them a very small, delicately carved book in ivory. He could detach it easily, and he began to do so, while the child eyed him curiously. She had seen very few gentlemen, and this one attracted her, he was so tall and imposing; and when he said again, "Go and be washed," she obeyed him, and the Colonel was a second time alone, for Jake was making his ablutions, and changing his working clothes for his best, in which he looked very respectable, when he at last rejoined his guest, and began at once in a trembling voice to speak of the business which had brought the Colonel there. CHAPTER IX THE COLONEL AND JAKE "I 'lowed you had the best right to her because 'twas you that sent the money," he said. The Colonel neither assented nor dissented, and Jake went on: "Thar is nobody else. Miss Dory never tole nothin'; she was silent as de grave about--him--de fader of de lill chile, I mean. 'It's all right,' she'd say. 'I tole him I wouldn't tell till he came--an' I won't--but, it's all right. Elder Covil knows--send for him.' That's just afore she died." "And did you send for him?" the Colonel asked with some alarm, and Jake replied: "I went for him an' he wasn't thar--had moved off--an' another gemman, the Rev. Mr. Charles Mason, what I foun' at the hotel, 'tended de buryin' with his pra'r book, 'case I wanted somethin' 'bout de Resurrection an' de Life. 'Twas as fust class a funeral as we could have out hyer. She wore her white gown--the one Mandy Ann says she wore when you war hyer. You members it?" The Colonel nodded, and Jake, thinking he could do nothing better than repeat all the particulars, went on: "She had a nice coffin from Palatka, an' Mandy Ann done fixed her rale nice, wid flowers in her han's, an' on her bosom, an', does you 'member givin' Mandy Ann a dollar when you's here afore?" Again the Colonel nodded and Jake went on: "Well, she done bought a ring wid some of it--not rale gold, you know, but looked most like it--an' what do you think Mandy Ann did, as the last thing she could do for Miss Dory?" Jake was growing excited, and the Colonel nervous, as the negro continued: "It was too small for her, to be shue, but she thought a sight on't, but more of Miss Dory's good name." There was a great ridge in the Colonel's forehead, between his eyes, as he repeated, "Her good name?"