ender look on their
faces--and I had many a one, both words and looks--racked my heart in
a way that was strange for a child. The negus put me to sleep at last,
or exhaustion did; I think the latter, for it was very late; and the
rest of that night wore away.

When I awoke, the two women were there still, just as I had left them
when I went to sleep. I do not know if they sat there all night, or if
they had slept on the floor by my side; but there they were, and
talking softly to one another about something that caught my
attention. I bounced out of bed--though I was so weak, I remember I
reeled as I went from my bed to the fire, and steadied myself by
laying my hand on Mammy Theresa's shoulder. I demanded of Margaret
_what_ she had been saying. The women both started, with expressions
of surprise, alarm, and tender affection, raised by my ghostly looks,
and begged me to get back into bed again. I stood fast, bearing on
Theresa's shoulder.

"What was it?" I asked.

"'Twarn't nothin', Miss Daisy, dear!" said the girl.

"Hush! don't tell me that," I said. "Tell me what it was--tell me what
it was. Nobody shall know; you need not be afraid; nobody shall know."
For I saw a cloud of hesitation in Margaret's face.

"'Twarn't nothin', Miss Daisy--only about Darry."

"What about Darry?" I said, trembling.

"He done went and had a praise-meetin'," said Theresa; "and he knowed
it war agin the rules; he knowed that. 'Course he did. Rules mus' be
kep'."

"Whose rules?" I asked.

"Laws, honey, 'taint 'cording to rules for we coloured folks to hold
meetin's no how. 'Course, we's ought to 'bey de rules; dat's clar."

"Who made the rules?"

"Who make 'em? Mass' Ed'ards--he made de rules on dis plantation.
Reckon Mass' Randolph, he make 'em a heap different."

"Does Mr. Edwards make it a rule that you are not to hold
prayer-meetings?"

"Can't spec' for to have everyt'ing jus like de white folks," said the
old woman. "We's no right to spect it. But Uncle Darry, he sot a sight
by his praise-meetin'. He's cur'ous, he is. S'pose Darry's cur'ous."

"And does anybody say that you shall not have prayer-meetings?"

"Laws, honey! what's we got to do wid praise-meetin's or any sort of
meetin's? We'se got to work. Mass' Ed'ards, he say dat de meetin's dey
makes coloured folks onsettled; and dey don't hoe de corn good if dey
has too much prayin' to do."

"And does he forbid them then? doesn't he let you have
prayer-meetings?"