, honey--empty-handed, same as po' white trash? D-d-d-don't yer
reck'n we b-b-better teck de chickens, baby? Yo' ma thunk a heap o' dem
Brahma hens an' dem Clymoth Rockers--dee looks so courageous."

It was hard for Evelyn to refuse. Mammy loved everything on the old
place.

"Let us give up all these things now, mammy; and after a while, when I
grow rich and famous, I'll buy you all the chickens you want."

At last preparations were over. They were to start on the morrow. Mammy
had just returned from a last tour through out-buildings and gardens,
and was evidently disturbed.

"Honey," she began, throwing herself on the step at Evelyn's feet, "what
yer reck'n? Ole Muffly is a-sett'n' on fo'teen eggs, down in de
cotton-seed. W-w-we can't g'way f'm heah an' leave Muffly a-sett'n', hit
des nachelly can't be did. D-d-don't yer reck'n dee'd hol' back de
morgans a little, till Muffly git done sett'n'?"

It was the same old story. Mammy would never be ready to go.

"But our tickets are bought, mammy."

"An' like as not de 'Onerble Mr. Citified 'll shoo ole Muffly orf de
nes' an' spile de whole sett'n'. Tut! tut! tut!" And, groaning in
spirit, mammy walked off.

Evelyn had feared, for her father, the actual moment of leaving, and was
much relieved when, with his now habitual tranquillity, he smilingly
assisted both her and mammy into the sleeper. Instead of entering
himself, however, he hesitated.

"Isn't your mother coming, daughter?" he asked, looking backward.
"Or--oh, I forgot," he added, quickly. "She has gone on before, hasn't
she?"

"Yes, dear, she has gone before," Evelyn answered, hardly knowing what
she said, the chill of a new terror upon her.

What did this mean? Was it possible that she had read but half the
truth? Was her father's mind not only enfeebled, but going?

Mammy had not heard the question, and so Evelyn bore her anxiety alone,
and during the day her anxious eyes were often upon her father's face,
but he only smiled and kept silent.

They had been travelling all day, when suddenly, above the rumbling of
the train, a weak, bird-like chirp was heard, faint but distinct; and
presently it came again, a prolonged "p-e-e-p!"

Heads went up, inquiring faces peered up and down the coach, and fell
again to paper or book, when the cry came a third time, and again.

Mammy's face was a study. "'Sh--'sh--'sh! don' say nothin', baby," she
whispered, in Evelyn's ear; "but dis heah chicken in my bosom i