ou won't
let any one come in?"

He held the key up reassuringly. "Don't you see I's got de key, honey?"

"I'd feel safer if I had that key myself," said she, and snatched it
from him. An instant later and the door was closed and locked on the
inside.

Neb was alarmed. He had disobeyed plain orders in letting her go in at
all. For him to let that key out of his possession was a further
violation which he feared to be responsible for. He pounded on the door.
"Open de doah, honey," he implored. "I mus' hab dat key!"

"All right," said she, "soon's I am dressed."

He fell back from the door dismayed. "De Lawd help me!" he groaned.
"What's I gwine ter do? An' I war so mighty firm 'bout dat key wid Marse
Holton!" He paced the space before the stable door in agitation. "But I
reckon she'll be t'rough befo' Marse Frank comes," he comforted himself.

She was not, though. While Neb still paced the stable yard in acute
worry, Frank, Miss Alathea, Barbara and Holton came toward him in a
laughing group. He almost fainted.

"Here we are, Neb," his master cried, "ready for a look at Queen Bess."

"Yessah, yessah, pwesently!" Neb stammered, and would have paled had
nature made provision for such exhibition of his feelings. "I jus'
nachelly hab got to speak to dem ar stable boys a minute, fust. Jus'
'scuse me fo' a minute, suh." He vanished hurriedly, hoping that by this
diversion he could gain a little time for Madge and for himself.

Layson gazed after him with some astonishment, then went and tried the
stable door. "Of course the door's locked," he explained, annoyed, "but
he'll be back here in a minute."

Miss Alathea smiled. The attitude of the young master toward the aged
negro often was amusing to her. She liked to watch the constant evidence
of that rare affection which formed an inseparable bond between them.

Suddenly she heard the crunching of a man's heavy footsteps on the
gravel, back of them. Turning, she saw that the newcomer was the
Colonel, and the Colonel in great haste. This was most impressive, for
the Colonel did not often hurry.

"Here comes the Colonel, Frank," she said, "and see how he is hurrying!"

"Something's up," her nephew answered, "when the Colonel hurries." Then,
as the horseman came up to them: "Why, Colonel, what's the matter?"

"A shock! A regular shock! As I came from Lexington, just now, I saw you
standing here, so I sent the boy on with the buggy and cut across to
meet you. Just as