to some arrangement with
him. With Fetters the hiring of the Negro was purely a commercial
transaction, conditioned upon a probable profit, for the immediate
payment of which, and a liberal bonus, he would doubtless relinquish
his claim upon Johnson's services.

Learning that Turner, who had acted as Fetters's agent in the matter,
had gone over to Clay Johnson's saloon, he went to seek him there. He
found him, and asked for a proposition. Turner heard him out.

"Well, Colonel French," he replied with slightly veiled insolence, "I
bought this nigger's time for Mr. Fetters, an' unless I'm might'ly
mistaken in Mr. Fetters, no amount of money can get the nigger until
he's served his time out. He's defied our rules and defied the law,
and defied me, and assaulted one of the guards; and he ought to be
made an example of. We want to keep 'im; he's a bad nigger, an' we've
got to handle a lot of 'em, an' we need 'im for an example--he keeps
us in trainin'."

"Have you any power in the matter?" demanded the colonel, restraining
his contempt.

"Me? No, not _me_! I couldn't let the nigger go for his weight in
gol'--an' wouldn' if I could. I bought 'im in for Mr. Fetters, an'
he's the only man that's got any say about 'im."

"Very well," said the colonel as he turned away, "I'll see Fetters."

"I don't know whether you will or not," said Turner to himself, as he
shot a vindictive glance at the colonel's retreating figure. "Fetters
has got this county where he wants it, an' I'll bet dollars to bird
shot he ain't goin' to let no coon-flavoured No'the'n interloper come
down here an' mix up with his arrangements, even if he did hail from
this town way back yonder. This here nigger problem is a South'en
problem, and outsiders might's well keep their han's off. Me and
Haines an' Fetters is the kind o' men to settle it."

The colonel was obliged to confess to Miss Laura his temporary
setback, which he went around to the house and did immediately.

"It's the first thing I've undertaken yet for your sake, Laura, and
I've got to report failure, so far."

"It's only the first step," she said, consolingly.

"That's all. I'll drive out to Fetters's place to-morrow, and arrange
the matter. By starting before day, I can make it and transact my
business, and get back by night, without hurting the horses."

Catharine was called in and the situation explained to her. Though
clearly disappointed at the delay, and not yet free of apprehens