never see my boy again. I
done paid eighteen dollars towards Rose's freedom when she died. Then
I ask Mr. Jean Larue if he wouldn't let that go on the baby. He said
yes, right off, an' told me I could get him for hundred fifty dollars;
_that_ why I work 'long like I do, an' let the other men fight fo'
freedom But I ain't contented so long as any man can sell me an' my
child."

None of the other blacks made any verbal comment on his feelings or
opinions, but old Nelse easily saw that Pluto's ideas outweighed his
own with them.

"I un'stan' you to say Mahs Jean Larue promise he keep yo' boy till
such time as the money is raised?" he asked, cautiously.

"That's the way it was," assented Pluto. "I ain't been to see
him--little Zekal--for nigh on two months now. I'm goen', sure, soon
as Mrs. McVeigh come home an' get settled. It's quite a jaunt from our
place to Mahs Larue's--thirty good mile."

Aunt Chloe poured him out some more rye and corn-meal coffee and
insisted on him having more sweet potato pie. She swept an admonishing
glance towards the others as she did so. "I did heah some time ago one
o' the Larue's gwine way down to the Mexico country," she remarked,
carelessly. "I don't reckon though it is this special Larue. I mind
they did have such a monstrous flock o' them Larue boys long time
back; some got killed in this heah war what's maken' trouble all
roun'. How much you got paid on yo' little boy, Pluto?"

"Most thirty dollars by time I make next trip over. Takes mighty long
time to save money these days, quarters scarcer than dollars use to
be."

His entertainers agreed with him; then the little maid Raquel entered
to say Pluto was wanted by Miss Sajane soon as his lunch was over.

And as he walked across the grounds Evilena pointed him out to
Delaven.

"That is our Pluto," she said, with a certain note of pride in her
tone; "three generations of his family belonged to us. Mama can always
go away feeling the whole plantation is safe so long as Pluto is in
charge. We never do have trouble with the folks at the quarters as Mr.
Loring does. He is so hard on them I wonder they don't all run away;
it would be hard on Gertrude, though--lose her a lot of money. Did you
know Loringwood is actually offered for sale? Isn't it a shame? The
only silver lining to the cloud is that then Gertrude will have to
move to The Pines--I don't mean to the woods"--as he turned a
questioning glance on her. "I mean to Gertrude'