ill be remembered that Nan was on her way to present her excuses to
Eugenia when the spectacle of Mr. Sanders, tipsy and talkative, had
attracted her attention. She thought no more of her engagement, and for
the time being Eugenia was to Nan as if she had never existed.
Meanwhile, the members of the Dorrington household, if they thought of
Nan at all, concluded that she had gone to the Gaither Place, where
Eugenia lived. But when Miss Claiborne came seeking her, why that put
another face on affairs. Eugenia decided to wait for her; but when the
long minutes, and the half hours and the hours passed, and Nan failed to
make her appearance, Mrs. Absalom began to grow nervous, and Mrs.
Dorrington went from room to room with a very long face. She could have
made a very shrewd guess as to Nan's whereabouts, but she didn't dare to
admit, even to herself, that the girl had been so indiscreet as to go in
person to the rescue of Gabriel.

They waited and waited, until at last Mrs. Dorrington suggested that
something should be done. "I don't know what," she said, "but something;
that would be better than sitting here waiting."

Mrs. Absalom insisted on keeping up an air of bravado. "The child's safe
wherever she is. She's been a rippittin' 'round all day tryin' to git
old Billy Sanders sober, an' more'n likely she's sot down some'rs an'
fell asleep. Ef folks could sleep off the'r sins, Nan'd be a saint."

"But wherever she is, she isn't here," remarked Mrs. Dorrington,
tearfully; "and here is where she should be. I wonder what her father
will say when he comes?" Dr. Dorrington had gone to visit a patient in
the country.

"Perhaps she went with him," Eugenia suggested.

"No fear of that," said Mrs. Absalom. "Ridin' in a gig is too much like
work for Nan to be fond of it. No; she's some'rs she's got no business,
an' ef I could lay my hand on her, I'd jerk her home so quick, her head
would swim worse than old Billy Sanders's does when he's full up to the
chin."

After awhile, Eugenia said she had waited long enough, but Mrs.
Dorrington looked at her with such imploring eyes that she hesitated.
"If you go," said the lady, "I will feel that Nan is not coming, but as
long as you stay, I have hope that she will run in any moment. She is
with that Tasma Tid, and I think it is terrible that we can't get rid of
that negro. I have never been able to like negroes."

"Well, you needn't be too hard on the niggers," declared Mrs. Absalom.