ake yo' rags wid ye.'

"I see right away de fat was in de fire. Marse Henry warn't 'spected
home till de nex' Sunday, an' so I tuk her over to Mis' Morgan, an' den
I ups an' tells her everything dat woman had done to dat chile since de
day she come. An' when I'd done she tuk Miss Nannie by de han' an' she
says:--

"'You won't never want a home, chile, so long as I live. Go back,
Chloe, an' git her clo'es.' But I didn't git 'em. I knowed Marse
Henry 'd raise de roof when he come, an' he did, bless yo' heart. Went
over hisse'f an' got her, an' brought her home, an' dat night when Dr.
Boling come he made her sit down in de parlor, an' 'fo' he went home
dat night de Doctor he say to Marse Henry, 'I want yo' permission,
Mister Gordon, to pay my addresses to Miss Nannie, yo' niece.' Sam was
a-standing close as he could git to de door, an' he heard ev'y word.
Now he ain't never said dat, mind ye, to Marse Henry 'bout Miss Rachel!
An' dat's why I know dat he warn't hit unto death wid her.

"Well, do you know, suh, dat dat woman was dat owdacious she wouldn't
let 'em see each other after dat 'cept on de front po'ch. Wouldn't let
'em come in de house; make 'em do all dere co'rtin' on de steps an' out
at de paster gate. De doctor would rare an' pitch an' git white in de
face at de scandlous way dat Miss Barnes was bein' treated, until Miss
Nannie put bofe her leetle han's on his'n, soothin' like, an' den he'd
grab 'em an' kiss 'em like he'd eat 'em up. Sam cotched him at it, an'
done tole me; an' den dey'd sa'nter off down de po'ch, sayin' it was
too hot or too cool, or dat dey was lookin' for birds' nests in de
po'ch vines, till dey'd git to de far end, where de mist'ess nor Sam
nor nobody else couldn't hear what dey was a-sayin' an' a-whisperin',
an' dere dey'd sit fer hours.

"But I tell ye de doctor had a hard time a-gittin' her even when Marse
Henry gin his consent. An' he never would 'a' got her if Miss Rachel,
jes' for spite, I spec', hadn't 'a' took up wid Colonel Todhunter's son
dat was a-co'rtin' on her too, an' run off an' married him. Den Miss
Nannie knowed she was free to follow her own heart.

"I tell you it'd 'a' made ye cry yo' eyes out, suh, to see dat chile
try an' fix herse'f up to meet him de days an' nights she knowed he was
comin', an' she wid jes' one white frock to her name. An' we all felt
jes' as bad as her. Dinah would wash it an' I'd smooth her hair, an'
ole Sam 'd git her a fresh ros