dreadfully to heart if she thinks I am not glad to see her.'

"She rang the little bell that sat on the table, and asked the man to
send Zillah in. Just as he went, James entered. I looked with a little
curiosity to see the meeting between him and his step-father.

"The General's manner was the same as ever--that exquisite blending of
courtesy and kindly feeling which always characterized his
communications with his wife's son. But young Mr. Harrington was
constrained, almost cold. I knew that he had not forgiven the General
for the course he had taken regarding that journey.

"When I saw that, I fairly hated him. He exchanged a little conversation
with the General, talked for a moment with his mother, and after a
frigid salutation to me passed on to a window, and stood there looking
out into the court.

"In a short time the door opened again, and Zillah entered. The creature
fairly bounded toward Mrs. Harrington like some beautiful wild animal,
and fell at her feet, kissing her hands, and pouring out a torrent of
delighted exclamations.

"The slave was more gorgeously lovely than ever; somewhat paler and
thinner, and her great eyes beamed with more eager light.

"Mrs. Harrington was touched almost to tears by the girl's manner, but
to me it was fairly repulsive. Her gladness was so exaggerated that I
could not help thinking it all acting from beginning to end.

"'I am so glad, so glad!' she kept repeating. 'Dear mistress, I thought
I should die and never see you again! It broke my heart! Oh, I am so
happy.'

"'And I am very glad to have you back, my pretty Zillah,' Mrs.
Harrington said. 'I have missed you very much.'

"Zillah kissed the fair hands again, but it seemed to me--oh, how
suspicious I had grown--that the evil light I had so often noticed in
her eyes deepened till, in defiance of her beauty, she looked absolutely
fiendish.

"'See,' said Mrs. Harrington, 'you have not spoken to Miss Mabel.'

"The girl rose from her knees and came toward me, dropping a graceful
curtsey that seemed to me fairly insulting, instead of a mark of
respect.

"'I am glad you are quite well again, Zillah,' was all I could bring
myself to say.

"She murmured something--I do not know exactly what--at the same moment
she caught sight of James standing in the window. The color rushed in a
torrent to her face, then as suddenly receded, leaving her pale and
trembling with excitement.

"She went timidly toward him. He did not