a gentleman.

"Euonymus, boy, if I should by and by dress as a man could you put
these woman things on, over what you're wearing, and be a lady in my
place?"

"Why, eh, y'--yass'm. Oh, yass'm, ef you say so, my--mistress;
howsomever, you know what de good book say' 'bout de Ethiopium."

"Can't change--yes, I know; but this would be only for an hour or two
and in the dark."

"It'd have to be pow'ful dahk," sighed Euonymus, and from Robelia's
sunbonnet came--"Unh!"

Rebecca interposed: "An' still, o' co'se, we all gwine do ezac'ly what
you say."

"Well," I responded, "maybe we won't do that." And we never did. I
was still "Mrs. Southmayd," as we came into a small railway station.
At the ticket-window I asked if any one had come up in the train of
half an hour before, inquiring for a lady in a coach.

"No, ma'am, nobody got off that train. But there's another train at
half past eight."

"Oh," I whined, "he won't come on that; he's overrated my speed and
gone on to the next station, making five miles more going for me!"

"Why, no, you can give three of your servants a pass to go on with the
carriage, keep your maid and wait for the train."

"Ah, no! No lady can choose to travel by rail where she can go in her
own coach!"

They said no more except to warn Luke of a bad piece of road about two
miles on. Sure enough, in its very middle--crack!--we broke down. "De
kingbolt done gone clean in two!" said Luke, and Robelia repeated the
news explosively.

"We'll leave the coach," I announced. "Fold the lap-robes on the backs
of the two horses, for Rebecca and me. You-all can walk beside us."

After a while, so going, we passed a large plantation house, its
windows ruddy with home cheer. A second quarter-mile brought dimly to
view a railroad water-tank and an empty flag-station house, and in the
next bit of woods I spoke to Euonymus: "Have you that bundle? Ah, yes.
Luke, this boy and I are going off here a step for me to change my
dress. If any passer questions you, say I'll be right back."

"Yass, madam, but, er, eh--wouldn' you sooner take yo' maid, Robelia,
instid?"

"No, for as to dress I'll be as much of a man, when I get back, as
Euonymus."

"Is Euonymus gwine change dress too?"

"No, these things that I take off, your wife and Robelia may divide
between them."

I started away but Luke lifted a hand. I thought he was going to claim
every dud for Robelia. Not so.

"We all thanks you migh