a
Gulian, I'se so berry mis'ble?"

"And what has occurred, my poor fellow, to make you so unhappy?"

"Why, it's 'bout dis robb'ry, young massa. Don' you see dat old Master
s'picions me? Tudder day, he said he bleeb'd I know'd suthin' 'bout it,
'cause he found dat knife of mine dar in de winder; and the Lord knows
I'se innocent as a lamb, ob eben tinking such a ting."

"Mr. Wilkins, I think, convinced him of your innocence, Jeff. He told
him every fact, concerning you, that he could think of, to prove you
guiltless."

"Yes, but--but I heerd Master mutter to hisself dat he couldn't clar me
in his own mind till somebody else was cotched, and proved guilty; and
nobody has been cotched, and I'se berry wretched, 'deed, sah, I is."

Jeff looked all he expressed, and Guly pitied him in his heart.

"Be of good cheer, and trust in God; all will yet be well. It were
impossible for any one to think you guilty, Jeff, of this."

"Seems to me dat de Lord has deserted me 'tirely. What makes my heart
ache most, is Massa's manner; you see he allus used to be berry kind to
me; fact is, he neber whipped me in the world, and he used to trust me
with so many of his private affairs, and wus allus so kind of
confidential like, long o' me, and sometimes sent me wid money to de
bank, and all dat. Don't do it now; scowl on his face de minit he cum
near me, and look so like a tunder cloud, I 'spects to be struck wid
lightnin' ebery minit. If he'd tie me up, and whip me, and den be
hisself agin, I wouldn't care; but de Lord knows I lub my Massa dearly,
and can't bar' to hab him turn de cold shoulder to me, and show he hab
no more confidence in his nigger, 'tall."

Guly tried to say something encouraging; but, though Jeff listened
respectfully, it was very sadly; and several times he wiped the tears
from his cheeks, while his young master was speaking.

"Massa Guly," said he, taking a small parcel from his pocket, "here's
suthin' I found in de winder, de morning after de robb'ry, when dey was
cleaning up. I 'spect it b'longs to de tiefs, but I don't want you to
open it till some one's cotched, and then if it finds an owner, well and
good; but if it don't, I want you to keep it to 'member me. It's a purty
thing, an' it's mine if it don't get an owner, 'cause I found it; and,
as I said, I want you to hab it."

"You are not going away, are you, Jeff?"

"Yes, young massa, berry fur."

"Why, how so?" said Guly, in surprise, "I had heard not