Jeanne somewhat shortly.

"It seems to have helped you then. Did anything happen?"

"Nothing," returned the girl drearily, her old look of hopelessness
returning for she feared that Madame suspected something. "What could
happen?"

"Don't give me any impudence, Jeanne. I am not in the mood for it. Go at
once to your room," commanded her aunt and Jeanne gladly obeyed.

As soon as possible she crept softly downstairs and succeeded in getting
out of the house unobserved by either Madame or Mrs. La Chaise and ran
eagerly to the smokehouse.

Snowball was waiting for her.

"Missy," she said as soon as the girl reached her side, "hab yer seen yer
brudder lately?"

"No, Snowball. They won't let me," said Jeanne sadly.

"Den yer had bettah see him as soon as yer can, fer dere's a powerful lot
of meanness gwine on."

"What do you mean?" cried Jeanne apprehensively.

"Ole missus am a tryin' ter make him leab Massa Linkum's ahmy. I heerd
Jeff tell Feliciane dat she was 'suadin' him awful ha'd. Den too I heare
ole missus tell him myself dis mohnin' when dey sent me fer more wood and
didn't notice pertic'lar dat I had kum back, ole missus say ter him when
he done axed fer you, 'I done know what de mattah wid Jeanne,' she say.
'She done seem ter kyar ter see yer. I axed her ter kum dis mohnin', an'
she say, 'no, I'm gwine fer a walk.' Den yer brudder say bery weak like,
'I can't understan' it. I tought she lubed me.'"

"Did he say that?" cried Jeanne. "Oh, Snowball, what can I do? I must see
him. Won't you help me?"

"Yes, missy, I will. Eben ef dey kills me fer it," declared the girl
fervently.

CHAPTER XXVII

A PRISONER OF WAR

"But what can we do, Snowball?" asked Jeanne her voice trembling with
emotion. "How can I see him?"

"De missus takes a nap ebery day," said the darky. "An' sumtimes she calls
me ter set in de room s'posin' Massa Dick want anything. Sumtimes she
tells Feliciane ter do it. We'll jest wait tell she tells me ter do it,
an' den I'll let yer in. We'll hab ter watch sha'p elsen she'll ketch us."

"We will," said Jeanne. "I would not care for myself, but I would not like
to get you into trouble."

"Nebber you mind me, lill' missy. You'se been moughty good ter me, an'
I'll stan' anything ter help yer see yer brudder."

"Thank you, Snowball," and Jeanne's eyes filled with tears at this
evidence of affection. "When I can I am going to help you to get back
to your mother. I will never fo