thoughts to bring great repulsion with them. I
never had liked the girl; now, this upheaving of the dark blood, from
which all that made her kin to me revolted, even in her own system,
shocked and humiliated me.

"Mrs. Harrington, born and bred in the south, felt all this less keenly,
she still smoothed the young creature's hair and attempted to comfort
her.

"'You have no cause for trouble,' she said. 'Have I not always taught
you that a faithful servant had all the claims of a friend, else why am
I here in your sick room, Zillah?'

"'Oh, I am worth full two thousand dollars,' answered the girl,
bitterly. 'General Harrington takes excellent care of his horses. Is it
for love?'

"'Zillah, this is unkind, remember it is not my fault that you are a
slave.'

"'Mrs. Harrington arose; the insolent ingratitude of the girl had
wounded her greatly. For my part, indignation forbade me to pity the
creature. As we left the room I saw that she followed us with her eyes,
and the African stamp grew broader and plainer on her face, till all
beauty left it. As we closed the door she started up and called out with
sudden dread,

"'Mistress, mistress.'

"Mrs. Harrington hesitated a moment, with her hand on the latch, but
went back into Zillah's room murmuring,

"'Poor thing, poor thing, she is sorry already.'

"'Mistress, don't tell him, don't tell the master. I--I did not mean to
say such things. It was the black blood burning in my heart. Don't tell
him, or he will send me back.'

"Mrs. Harrington smiled.

"'No, I will not tell him,' she said kindly, 'for I think he would send
you home at once if he knew how perverse you have been. You ought to
remember that he never will forgive disrespect to his wife.'

"I was looking at Zillah. She half covered her face with the bed
clothes, and her form writhed under them as if in pain. It might have
been a sudden pang, but the look of a rattlesnake, before it springs,
was in those eyes.

"Mrs. Harrington was thinking of her husband, and observed nothing.

"'That is one great proof of his love,' she said addressing me, 'and I
think he does love me as few men love their wives. Have you not
observed how cheerful and happy he is since I am so much better? It was
only last night he told me that no woman, living or dead, ever had or
ever could touch the heart entirely mine, not even if God had taken me
from him. I know it seems foolish to repeat these things, but when the
heart is fu