"But, missy dear, doan youse do nuthin' foolish 'bout dat
fellah, 'cause I 'se helped youse. Doan youse--"

"Of course I won't," asserted the girl. "I could n't,
Sukey. You know I couldn't."

"Dat 's right, honey. Ole Sukey knows she can trust
youse. Now run right along, chile."

"What have you been doing, Janice?" asked her mother, as
the girl entered the parlour.

"I've been in the kitchen with Sukey, mommy," replied
Janice. And if there was wrong in the quibble, both father
and mother were equally to blame with the girl, for "Ole
Sukey" was actually better able to enter into her feelings and
thoughts than either of them; and where obedience is enforced
from authority and not from sympathy and confidence,
there will be secret deceit, if not open revolt.

Left to himself, the bondsman finished trimming the ivory
to a proper size, and neatly fitted it into the frame. Then he
spread the papers out, and in some haste, for the winter's day
was fast waning, he resumed his scribbling, varied by intervals
of pen-chewing and knitting of brows. Finally he gave a sigh
of relief, and taking a blank sheet he copied in a bold hand-writing
what was written on the paper he had last toiled over.
Then picking up the miniature, he touched it to his lips.
"She was sent to give me faith again in women," he said, as
he folded the miniature into the paper.