ct dey's as tired as a fish mus' be of de water," said Maria.
She had a fine specimen under her hand at the moment, which I suppose
suggested the figure.

"Then why do they not come as usual, Maria? there were only a few last
night."

"Dere was so few, it was lonesome," said Maria.

"Then what is the reason?"

"Dere is more reasons for t'ings, den Maria can make out," she said
thoughtfully. "Mebbe it's to make 'em love de priv'lege mo'."

"But what keeps them away, Maria? what hinders?"

"Chile, de Lord hab His angels, and de debil he hab his ministers; and
dey takes all sorts o' shapes, de angels and de ministers too. I
reckon dere's some work o' dat sort goin' on."

Maria spoke in a sort of sententious wisdom which did not satisfy me
at all. I thought there was something behind.

"Who is doing the work, Maria?" I asked, after a minute.

"Miss Daisy," she said, "dere ain't no happenin' at all widout de Lord
lets it happen. Dere is much contrairy in dis world--fact, dere is;
but I 'spect de Lord make it up to us by'm by."

And she turned her face full upon me with a smile of so much quiet
resting in that truth, that for just a moment it silenced me.

"Miss Daisy ain't looking quite so peart as she use to look," Maria
went on. But I slipped away from that diversion.

"Maria," I said, "you don't tell me what is the matter; and I wish to
know. What keeps the people, Pete, and Eliza, and all, from coming?
What hinders them, Maria? I wish to know."

Maria busied herself with her fish for a minute, turning and washing
it; then, without looking up from her work, she said, in a lowered
tone,--

"'Spect de overseer, he don't hab no favour to such ways and
meetin's."

"But with _me_?" I said; "and with Aunt Gary's leave?"

"'Spose he like to fix t'ings his own way," said Maria.

"Does he forbid them to come?" I asked.

"I reckon he do," she said, with a sigh.

Maria was very even-tempered, quiet, and wise, in her own way. Her
sigh went through my heart. I stood thinking what plan I could take.

"De Lord is berry good, Miss Daisy," she said, cheerily, a moment
after; "and dem dat love Him, dere can be no sort o' separation, no
ways."

"Does Mr. Edwards forbid them _all_ to come?" I asked. "For a good
many do come."

"'Spect he don't like de meetin's, nohow," said Maria.

"But does he tell all the people they must not come?"

"I reckon he make it oncomfor'ble for 'em," Maria answered gravely.
"Dere i