on'y off' it to one! But when she say fo' to
off' it to you den dey all say de same; yass'm, sawt o' in honoh o' yo'
ma."

"They're afraid that seat'll give 'em the cholera," said the pilot in
grim jest, still gazing up-stream, but the ladies cried out in denial
for all their sex.

"I accept," said Ramsey, with a downward pull at her draperies. "How's
my brother?"

"Thank y'ma'am," was the bowing waiter's only reply. He tripped down the
pilot-house steps and away.

"Your brother," said the squire's sister as they all followed, "isn't in
nearly so much pain, we hear."

Ramsey flashed: "Does that mean better--or worse?"

"Why--we--we can't always be sure."

"Ringading tingalingaty, ringadang ding!" sang the festive bell up and
down the deck to which they began to descend by a narrow stair, old Joy
at the rear. Madame Hayle, ascending by another with the Bayou Sara
priest, espied the nurse and beckoned her. The pilot, high above,
observed the three as they met, although his ear was bent to a
speaking-tube. Now he answered into it: "Yes, sir.... Yes, close above
the point--Point Breeze, yes, sir."

As he resumed his up-stream gaze he saw old Joy, still at the stair,
stand as if lost and then descend alone while madame and the priest
moved toward the sickroom. The helm went gently over and the _Votaress_
rounded the point, but the priest waited outside where madame had gone
in, and when the door reopened enough to let one out it was Julian who
grimly confronted him, holding a pen, half concealed.

"My brother declines to see you, sir."

A flash came from the eyes of the priest, but the youth repeated: "My
brother _declines_ to _see_ you, sir."

The visitor caught breath to speak, but the great bell pealed for
another landing and burial, and madame came out. She addressed him a few
words in French, and with an austere bow to Julian he humbly turned away
at her side.

XX

LADIES' TABLE

Hugh stood at the head of the midday dinner-table, waiting for a full
assembly of its guests. The Vicksburg merchant and his wife, the planter
from Milliken's Bend and his wife, also stood at their places.

The two ladies glanced about as if listlessly noting the cabin's lavish
arabesques and gilding, while each really studied and knew the other was
studying the captain's son. For this tale which we tell, they saw. It
was "a-happmin'" before their eyes and, in degree, to themselves. Hugh
and his father, the commodor