as my mother was able to nurse
him more carefully than were his usual black attendants. We remained
with him for several days, at the end of which time he was able to mount
his horse and take a gallop with my father in the early morning. Uncle
Denis was one of the kindest-hearted men I ever met, and generally one
of the merriest; but a shade of melancholy came over him occasionally.
It was when he thought of Uncle Michael, or of that "dear fellow, Mike,"
as he used to say. He believed himself to have been in the wrong, and
to have been the cause of his brother's leaving him, without taking an
opportunity of acknowledging that such was the case, and asking for his
forgiveness.

My father and mother of course described to Uncle Denis the narrow
escape we had had in crossing the river, and the somewhat doubtful style
of hospitality with which we had been received by Mr Bracher.

"He knows you, Denis," said my father.

"And I know him," answered my uncle; "a more surly curmudgeon does not
exist in these parts, or a harder master to his slaves. He is a man
people wish to stand well with, not because they love him, but because
they fear his vengeance should they offend him. I make a point of
keeping out of his way, for fear that he should pick a quarrel with me,
though he pretends to be friendly enough when we meet. The slaves hate
him, as well they may, but the lash keeps them in order, and he has a
set of fellows about him of his own kidney, who serve him because no one
else would willingly employ them."

This no very flattering account of our late host made my father
determine not to pay him another visit, if he could help it, on our
return.

"I'll follow your example and keep out of his way," observed my father,
"though I should have been glad to make another attempt to purchase his
slave Dio, for the sake of getting the brave fellow out of his power."

"The more desirous you appear to obtain the slave the less likely will
he be to part with him, so I would advise you not to allude again to the
subject," said my uncle. "I'll keep an eye on his proceedings, and,
should he at any time suffer losses and be obliged to sell up, I'll take
means to buy Dio, not letting his master know that you want to become
his owner."

With this arrangement my father was obliged to rest satisfied, as he saw
that there was no other chance of getting Dio out of the power of his
tyrannical master.

A few days after this conversa