of you to de cabin, an' likewise to make a
fire dere for you; for I 'spects Dinah hab let it go out," said the
kind-hearted old man, gently depositing his charge upon a seat in the
chimney corner and leaving her there while he went to prepare for her
comfort.

When she was alone Nora, who had scarcely heeded a word of his
exhortation, sat for a few minutes gazing woefully into vacancy; then
she put her hand to her forehead, passing it to and fro, as if to clear
away a mist--a gesture common to human creatures bewildered with sorrow;
then suddenly crying out:

"My Lord! It is true! and I have no business here! It is a sin and a
shame to be here! or anywhere! anywhere in the world!" And throwing up
her arms with a gesture of wild despair, she sprang up, tore open the
door, and the second time that night rushed out into the storm and
darkness.

The warm, light kitchen remained untenanted for perhaps twenty minutes,
when Jovial, with his Dinah on his arm and a lantern in his hand,
entered, Jovial grumbling:

"Law-a-mity knows, I don't see what she should be a-wantin' to come here
for! partic'lar arter de treatment she 'ceived from ole mis'tess las'
night! tain't sich a par'dise nohow for nobody--much less for she! Hi,
'oman!" he suddenly cried, turning the rays of the lantern in all
directions, though the kitchen was quite light enough without them.

"What de matter now, ole man?" asked Dinah.

"Where Nora? I lef' her here an' she aint here now! where she gone?"

"Hi, ole man, what you ax me for? how you 'spect I know?"

"Well, I 'clare ef dat don't beat eberyting!"

"Maybe she done gone back in de house ag'in!" suggested Dinah.

"Maybe she hab; I go look; but stop, first let me look out'n de door to
see if she went away," said Jovial, going to the door and holding the
lantern down near the ground.

"Yes, Dinah, 'oman, here day is; little foot-prints in de snow a-goin'
away from de house an' almost covered up now! She done gone! Now don't
dat beat eberything? Now she'll be froze to death, 'less I goes out in
de storm to look for her; an' maybe she'll be froze anyway; for dere's
no sartainty 'bout my findin' of her. Now aint dat a trial for any
colored gentleman's narves! Well den, here goes! Wait for me here, ole
'omen, till I come back, and if I nebber comes, all I leabes is yourn,
you know," sighed the old man, setting down the lantern and beginning to
button up his great coat preparatory to braving the stor