omestic, she eagerly arranged to put her out to service
in a house where, Leviticus assured her, Cornelius dared not bring his
foot. John March, however, was not taken into this confidence. The
maid's quick wit was her strong card, and even Leviticus did not think
it just to her to inform a master or mistress that it was the only
strong card she held.

So, thanks to Leviticus, the only man in Leggettstown who would stop at
no pains to "suckumvent wickedness in high places," here she was,
half-way to Widewood, and thus far safe against any unguessed
machinations of the enemy or herself. In Suez, too, all went well.
Before Mrs. March Jane seemed made of angelic "yass'ms," and agreed,
with a strange, sweet readiness to go to Widewood and assume her duties
in her mistress's absence, which would be for a few days only.

"And you'll go"--"yass'm"--"with my son"--"yass'm"--"in the
buggy"--"yass'm"--"and begin work"--"yass'm"--"just as
though"--"yass'm"--"I were there"--"yass'm." Mrs. March added, half to
herself, half to her son, "I find Suez"--"yass'm"--"more lonely
than"--"yass'm"--"our forest home." "Yass'm"--said the black damsel.

John was delighted with such undaunted and unselfish alacrity. He was
only sorry not to take her home at once, but really this business with
Garnet and Gamble was paramount. It kept him late, and the next morning
was well grown when he sought his mother to say that he could now take
Jane to Widewood.

"My son, you cannot. It's too late."

"Why, what's the matter?"

"Nothing, my dear John."

"Where's the girl?"

"On the way to her field of labor."

"How is she getting there?"

"In our buggy."

"You haven't let her drive out alone?"

"My son, why should you charge me with both cruelty and folly?"

"Who took her out?"

"One, my dear boy, who I little thought would ever be more attentive to
the widow's needs than her own son: Cornelius Leggett." Mrs. March never
smiled her triumphs. Her lips only writhed under a pleasant pain.

"Well, I'll be----"

"Oh!"

"Why, what, mother? I was only going to say I'll be more than pleased if
he doesn't steal the horse and buggy. I'll bet five dollars----"

"Oh!"

"O, I only mean I don't doubt he's half ruined both by now, and all to
save a paltry hour."

"My son, it is not mine to squander. Ah! John, the hours are not ours!"

"Why, what are they? O! I see. Well, I wish whoever they belong to would
come take 'em away!"

Cornelius was