ay captain's hands. "He's gwyn to be sold out by Meshach
Milburn. Maybe he jess sold 'em and skipped."

"Where is Judge Custis, Miss Vesty?" Phoebus asked.

"He has gone to Delaware, to be absent several days."

"Is what this bell-crowned fool says, true, Miss Vesty?"

"No. There was some fear among the kitchen servants of being sold; there
was no such necessity when they ran away, as it had been settled."

"It is unfortunate that your father is gone. He has been seen with a
negro trader. That trader and he disappear the same evening. The trader
lives about Delaware, too, Miss Vesty."

Vesta's countenance fell, as she thought of the suspicion that might
attach to her father. The great old trees around Teackle Hall seemed
moaning together in the air, as if to say, "Ancestors, this is strange
to hear!"

"Who told you, Jack Wonnell," spoke the bay sailor, "that Judge Custis
was to be sold out?"

"I won't tell you, Jimmy."

"I told him," Roxy cried, after an instant's hesitation, while Jimmy
Phoebus was grinding the stiff bell-crown hat down on Wonnell's
suffocating muzzle. "I did think we was all going to be sold, and had
nobody to pity me but that poor white man, and I told him as a friend."

"And I never told anybody in the world but Levin Dennis yisterday," Jack
cried out, when he was able to get his breath.

"Whar did you go, Jack, wid the long man and Levin all day yisterday?"
Samson asked.

"Yes, whar was you?" Jimmy Phoebus shouted, with one of his Greek
paroxysms of temper on, as his dark skin and black-cherry eyes flamed
volcanic. "Whar did you leave Ellenora's boy and that infernal
soul-buyer? Speak, or I'll throttle you like this dog!"

"You let him alone, sir!" little Roxy cried, hotly, "he won't deceive
anybody; he's going to tell all he knows."

"Let go, Jimmy," Samson said; "don't you see Miss Vesty heah?"

"Don't scare the man, Mr. Phoebus," Vesta added; "but I command him to
tell all that he knows, or papa shall commit him to jail."

Jack Wonnell, taking his place some steps away from Phoebus, and
wiping his eyes on his sleeve, whimpering a few minutes, to Roxy's great
agitation, finally told his tale.

"I'm sorry, Jimmy, you accused me before this beautiful lady an' my
purty leetle Roxy--bless her soul!--of stealing Jedge Custis's niggers.
Thair's on'y one I ever looked sheep's eyes at, an' she's a-standin'
here, listenin' to every true word I says. I'm pore trash, an' I reckon
the ja