breath.

The children passed the spring, crossed the meadow, and followed the
grapevine trellis to the back steps, when Eugenia rushed through the
wide hall with an impetuous flutter of short skirts.

"Papa!" she cried, bursting upon the general as he sat smoking upon the
front porch. "What do you think has happened? There's a new baby came to
Moses' cabin, an' Delphy says it's as black as--"

"Well, I am blessed!" groaned the general, knocking the ashes from his
pipe. "Another mouth to feed. Eugie, they'll ruin me yet."

"I reckon they will," returned Eugenia hopelessly. She seated herself
upon the topmost step and made a place for Jim beside her.

The general was silent for some time, smoking thoughtfully and staring
past the aspens and the well-house to the waving cornfield. When he
spoke it was with embarrassed hesitation.

"I say, daughter."

Eugenia looked up eagerly.

"Didn't that spotted cow of Moses' die last week?"

"That it did," replied Eugenia emphatically. "It got loose in your
clover, pasture and ate itself too full. Moses says it bu'st."

"Pish!" exclaimed the general angrily. "My clover! I tell you, they
won't leave me a roof over my head. They'll eat me into the poorhouse.
But I'll turn them off. I'll send them packing, bag and baggage. My
clover!"

"Moses ain't got much of a garden patch," said Eugenia. "It looks mighty
poor. The potato-bugs ate all his potatoes."

The general was silent again.

"I say, daughter," he began at last, blowing a heavy cloud of smoke upon
the air, "the next time you go by Sweet Gum Spring you had just as well
tell Moses that I can let him have a side of bacon if he wants it. The
rascal can't starve. But they won't leave me a mouthful--not one. And
Eugie--"

"Yes, sir."

"You needn't mention it to your Aunt Chris--"

At that instant a little barefooted negro came running across the lawn
from the spring-house, a large tin pail in his hand.

"Here, boy!" called the general. "Where're you off to? What have you got
in that pail?"

"It's Jake," said Eugenia in a whisper, while Jim barked frantically
from the shelter of her arms. "He's Delphy's Jake."

The small negro stood grinning in the walk, his white eyeballs circling
in their sockets. "Hit's Miss Chris, suh," he said at last.

"Miss Chris, you rascal!" shouted the general. "Do you expect me to
believe you've got Miss Chris in that pail? Open it, sir; open it!"

Jake showed a shining row of ivory