l emotions, China had not noticed that the
question put to and denied by the others was now addressed to her.

"Do you not hear? Are you deaf and dumb, China, that you do not answer
me? Speak, now! Did you, or did you not, steal this orange?"

Thus suddenly aroused from this painful reverie to confront the angered
eyes of the mistress she both feared and hated, she hesitated, then
said, in a low tone, but defiantly:

"_I did not._"

At that moment China hated herself more than her mistress, and glanced
helplessly around, as if for some fig-leaf beneath which to hide.

"You did not!" repeated the mistress slowly and with emphasis, fastening
upon the poor girl her merciless eyes. "You say you did not; all the
servants say they did not. We will see."

Mrs. Lisle produced a tiny paper from her pocket, and emptied its
powdered contents into half a wine-glass of water; stirring the mixture,
she gave a spoonful to each suspected person, and then ordered them to
stand in a row in the back-yard.

This cruel woman watched to see the sable faces turned to a deathly
yellow; ipecacuanha was a successful rack and torture. To all, however,
but to China, did the consciousness of innocence afford alleviation.
Fresh pieces of peel ejected from her stomach gave ample witness as to
who had purloined the orange. All her companions were surprised, some
grieved, some rejoiced; for

"Base Envy withers at another's joy,
And hates that excellence it cannot reach."

"It is well for pride to have a fall," said one.

"She thought herself so much better'n all the rest on us," quoth
another.

"I allus thought she wa'nt no better'n she should be, for all her
puttin' on such airs," spoke a third contemptuously.

"She won't find no rocking-chair, nor no time to sing love-songs, nor
make herself bows and fine lady fixins out in de corn and 'bacco patch.
Heigho!" crowed Dinah.

Amy's Indian eyes swam in tears, and she and the mighty Chloe cast
pitiful glances at their disgraced companion.

"She never did it of her own 'cord," thought the shrewd Amy; "Miss Rusha
jes threw on her her spell; she 'witched her as she did Massa; she made
her go do it; she jes did now, so!"

"You will not enter the house again," said Mrs. Lisle to the proved
culprit. "My Jane will bring your things from Aunt Amy's cabin, which
she has allowed you to occupy--you are never to let me see you about the
place again--never--or you will rue the day. I will see