tion.

"If I had the little devils!" muttered Haley, between his teeth.

"But you ha'nt got 'em, though!" said Andy, with a triumphant flourish,
and making a string of indescribable mouths at the unfortunate trader's
back, when he was fairly beyond hearing.

"I say now, Shelby, this yer 's a most extro'rnary business!" said
Haley, as he abruptly entered the parlor. "It seems that gal 's off,
with her young un."

"Mr. Haley, Mrs. Shelby is present," said Mr. Shelby.

"I beg pardon, ma'am," said Haley, bowing slightly, with a still
lowering brow; "but still I say, as I said before, this yer's a sing'lar
report. Is it true, sir?"

"Sir," said Mr. Shelby, "if you wish to communicate with me, you must
observe something of the decorum of a gentleman. Andy, take Mr. Haley's
hat and riding-whip. Take a seat, sir. Yes, sir; I regret to say that
the young woman, excited by overhearing, or having reported to her,
something of this business, has taken her child in the night, and made
off."

"I did expect fair dealing in this matter, I confess," said Haley.

"Well, sir," said Mr. Shelby, turning sharply round upon him, "what am
I to understand by that remark? If any man calls my honor in question, I
have but one answer for him."

The trader cowered at this, and in a somewhat lower tone said that "it
was plaguy hard on a fellow, that had made a fair bargain, to be gulled
that way."

"Mr. Haley," said Mr. Shelby, "if I did not think you had some cause
for disappointment, I should not have borne from you the rude and
unceremonious style of your entrance into my parlor this morning. I say
thus much, however, since appearances call for it, that I shall allow
of no insinuations cast upon me, as if I were at all partner to any
unfairness in this matter. Moreover, I shall feel bound to give you
every assistance, in the use of horses, servants, &c., in the recovery
of your property. So, in short, Haley," said he, suddenly dropping from
the tone of dignified coolness to his ordinary one of easy frankness,
"the best way for you is to keep good-natured and eat some breakfast,
and we will then see what is to be done."

Mrs. Shelby now rose, and said her engagements would prevent her being
at the breakfast-table that morning; and, deputing a very respectable
mulatto woman to attend to the gentlemen's coffee at the side-board, she
left the room.

"Old lady don't like your humble servant, over and above," said Haley,
with an uneasy