n finally
made, but something must be very wrong, or she would not have been
absent at the moment of her guest's departure. And what did that
beastly little negro mean by telling him that Keswick and Miss March
were to be married at Christmas, and that the two were kissing each
other good-bye in the parlor? Why, the man had not even come out to
put her in the carriage, and the omission of this courtesy was very
remarkable. These questions were entirely too difficult for him to
resolve by himself. It was absolutely necessary that more should be
told to him, and explained to him. Seeing the negro boy Plez crossing
the yard, he called him and asked him to tell Mr Keswick that Mr Croft
wished to see him immediately.

"Mahs' Junius," said the boy, "he done gone to de railroad to take
de kyars. He done took he knapsack on he back, an' walk 'cross de
fiel's."

When, about an hour or two afterwards, Uncle Isham brought Mr Croft
his dinner, the old negro appeared to have lost that air of attentive
geniality which he usually put on while waiting on the gentleman.
Lawrence, however, took no notice of this, but before the man reached
the table, on which he was to place the tray he carried, he asked: "Is
it true that Mr Keswick has gone away by train?"

"Yaas, sah," answered Isham.

"And where is Mrs Keswick?" asked Lawrence. "Isn't she in the house?"

"No, sah, done gwine vis'tin, I 'spec."

"When will she return?"

"Dunno," said Isham. "She nebber comes to me an' tells me whar she
gwine, an' when she comin' back."

And then, after satisfying himself that nothing more was needed of him
for the present, Isham left the room; and when he reached the kitchen,
he addressed himself to its plump mistress: "Letty," said he, "when
dat ar Mister Crof has got froo wid his dinner, you go an' fotch back
de plates an' dishes. He axes too many questions to suit me, dis day."

"You is poh'ly to-day, Uncle Isham," said Letty.

"Yaas," said the old man, "I's right much on the careen."

Uncle Isham, perhaps, was not more loyal to the widow Keswick than
many old servants were and are to their former mistresses, but his
loyalty was peculiar in that it related principally to his regard for
her character. This regard he wished to be very high, and it always
troubled and unsettled his mind, when the old lady herself or anybody
else interfered with his efforts to keep it high. For years he had
been hoping that the time would come when she wou