childlike laughter behind Paul's chair. "Well, Marse Hathaway,
yo's an ole frien' o' my massa, and a gemman yo'self, sah, and a
senetah, and I do'an mind tellin' yo'--dat's jess what I bin gone
done! It makes a little ready money for de ole woman and de
chilleren. But de Kernel don' no'. Ah, sah! de Kernel kill me or
hisself if he so much as 'spicioned me. De Kernel is high-toned,
sah!--bein' a gemman yo'self, yo' understand. He wouldn't heah ob
his niggah worken' for two massas--for all he's willen' to lemme go
and help myse'f. But, Lord bless yo', sah, dat ain't in de
category! De Kernel couldn't get along widout me."

"You collect his rents, don't you?" said Paul, quietly.

"Yes, sah."

"Much?"

"Well, no, sah; not so much as fom'ly, sah! Yo' see, de Kernel's
prop'ty lies in de ole parts ob de town, where de po' white folks
lib, and dey ain't reg'lar. De Kernel dat sof' in his heart, he
dare n' press 'em; some of 'em is ole fo'ty-niners, like hisself,
sah; and some is Spanish, sah, and dey is sof' too, and ain't no
more gumption dan chilleren, and tink it's ole time come ag'in, and
dey's in de ole places like afo' de Mexican wah! and dey don' bin
payin' noffin'. But we gets along, sah,--we gets along,--not in de
prima facie style, sah! mebbe not in de modden way dut de Kernel
don't like; but we keeps ourse'f, sah, and has wine fo' our
friends. When yo' come again, sah, yo' 'll find de Widder Glencoe
on de sideboard."