long time in silence.
Pompey had saluted her respectfully then kept on steadily with his work.
Dexterously he swept the curry-comb over the shining coats and then
drew it through the brush in his left hand with a curious vocal
accompaniment, something between a long-drawn whistle and a sigh, and
the horses laid their heads against his shoulder affectionately and
looked wonderingly at the stranger out of their large, bright eyes.

"Did you really know my father?" she asked at length.

"Laws, yes, Missy!" and Pompey's honest black face grew tender with
sympathy. "Mass Lennux stayed with the Jedge 'fore he went ter
Barbadoes, an' he spen' powerful sight of his time out here wid me an'
de horses. He wuz allers del'cut,--warn't able ter do nothin' in this
yere climate,--but he bed sech a sperit! He wouldn't ever let folks know
when he wuz a sufferin'. He use ter call me 'Pompous,'" and Pompey
chuckled softly. "He say when I git inter my fur coat I look as gran' on
de box as de Jedge do inside; an' one day he braided de horses' manes
inter a hunderd tails an' tied 'em wid yaller ribbun, 'cause he said de
crimps wuz in de fashun an' yaller wuz de Jedge's 'lecshun color. De
Jedge wuz powerful angry. He don't like no sech tricks wid his horses.
But, laws, he couldn't keep angry wid Mass Lennux! He jes' stood wid
his hans on his sides an' larf an' larf, till de Jedge he hev ter larf
too, an' he call him a graceless scamp, an' say he send him ter
Coventry, an' Mass Lennux he say 'all right ef de Jedge go 'long too,
an' take de horses, he couldn't do widout dem nohow.'"

"Were these the horses my father used to ride?"

"Laws, no, Missy. Dey wuz ez black ez night. Mass Lennux use ter call
'em Egyp an' Erybus."

Pompey's face softened.

"When my leetle gal died he jes' put his han' on my shoulder an' sez
he,--'Pompous, you jes' go home an' cheer up de Missis, yer don't hev no
call to worry 'bout de horses.' An' he tuk care of dem jes' as ef he'd
ben a coachman. We'll never fergit it, Dyce an' me."

Evadne's eyes shone. That was just like her father!

"'Specs little Miss is powerful lonesum 'thout Mass Lennux?"

The soft voice was full of a genuine regret. Evadne sank down on a bench
which stood near by and burst into tears.

"Oh, Pompey, I wish I could die!"

"'Specs little Miss hez no call ter wish dat," said Pompey gently.
"'Specs de Lord Jesus wants her to live fer him."

Evadne opened her eyes in wonder.

"'The L