e, knowing the
mother and the children warn't ever going to see each other no
more--and then busted out bitterer than ever, and flung up her hands,
and says:

"Oh, dear, dear, to think they ain't _ever_ going to see each other
any more!"

"But they _will_--and inside of two weeks--and I _know_ it!" says I.

Laws, it was out before I could think! And before I could budge she
throws her arms around my neck and told me to say it _again_, say it
_again_, say it _again!_

I see I had spoke too sudden and said too much, and was in a close
place. I asked her to let me think a minute; and she set there, very
impatient and excited and handsome, but looking kind of happy and
eased-up, like a person that's had a tooth pulled out. So I went to
studying it out. I says to myself, I reckon a body that ups and tells
the truth when he is in a tight place is taking considerable many
resks, though I ain't had no experience, and can't say for certain;
but it looks so to me, anyway; and yet here's a case where I'm blest
if it don't look to me like the truth is better and actuly _safer_
than a lie. I must lay it by in my mind, and think it over some time
or other, it's so kind of strange and unregular. I never see nothing
like it. Well, I says to myself at last, I'm a-going to chance it;
I'll up and tell the truth this time, though it does seem most _like_
setting down on a kag of powder and touching it off just to see where
you'll go to. Then I says:

"Miss Mary Jane, is there any place out of town a little ways where
you could go and stay three or four days?"

"Yes; Mr. Lothrop's. Why?"

"Never mind why yet. If I'll tell you how I know the niggers will see
each other again--inside of two weeks--here in this house--and _prove_
how I know it--will you go to Mr. Lothrop's and stay four days?"

"Four days!" she says; "I'll stay a year!"

"All right," I says, "I don't want nothing more out of _you_ than just
your word--I druther have it than another man's kiss-the-Bible." She
smiled and reddened up very sweet, and I says, "If you don't mind it,
I'll shut the door--and bolt it."

Then I come back and set down again, and says:

"Don't you holler. Just set still and take it like a man. I got to
tell the truth, and you want to brace up, Miss Mary, because it's a
bad kind, and going to be hard to take, but there ain't no help for
it. These uncles of yourn ain't no uncles at all; they're a couple of
frauds--regular dead-beats. There,