gh, managing to make the old creature comprehend its
meaning.

"Praise the Lord! praise Master John, and all the other apostles!"
exclaimed Aunt Polly, clasping together her black, wrinkled hands,
while tears of joy coursed their way down her cheeks. "The breath of
liberty is sweet--sweet as sugar," she continued, drawing long
inspirations as if to make up for lost time.

Mrs. Nichols looked on, silently thanking God for having made her an
humble instrument in contributing so much to another's happiness.

"Set down," said Aunt Polly, motioning toward a wooden bottomed
chair; "set down, and let's us talk over this great meracle, which
I've prayed and rastled for mighty nigh a hundred times, without
havin' an atom of faith that 'twould ever be."

So Mrs. Nichols sat down, and for nearly an hour the old ladies
talked, the one of her newly-found freedom, and the other of her
happiness in knowing that "'twasn't for nothin' she was turned out of
her old home and brought away over land and sea to Kentucky."

CHAPTER XVII.

FRANKFORT.

Thursday morning came, bright, sunshiny and beautiful, and at about
ten o'clock 'Lena, dressed and ready for her ride, came down to the
parlor, where she found John Jr. listlessly leaning upon the table
with his elbows, and drumming with his fingers.

"Come, cousin," said she, "why are you not ready?"

"Ready for what?" he answered, without raising his head.

"Why, ready for our visit," replied Lena, at the same time advancing
nearer, to see what ailed him.

"All the visit I make to-day won't hurt me, I reckon," said he;
pushing his hat a little more to one side and looking up at 'Lena,
who, in some surprise, asked what he meant.

"I mean what I say," was his ungracious answer; "I've no intention
whatever of going to Frankfort."

"Not going?" repeated 'Lena. "Why not? What will Carrie do?"

"Stick herself in with you and Durward, I suppose," said John Jr.,
just as Carrie entered the room, together with Mr. Bellmont, Malcolm,
and Anna.

"Not going?--of course then I must stay at home, too," said Carrie,
secretly pleased at her brother's decision.

"Why of course?" asked Durward, who, in the emergency, felt
constrained to offer his services to Carrie though he would greatly
have preferred 'Lena's company alone. "The road is wide enough for
three, and I am fully competent to take charge of two ladies. But
why don't you go?" turning to John Jr.

"Because I don't wish