know my young
mistiss done come back, en mo'n dat, I know sho 'uz stannin" dar right
over me.

"Tooby sho I wuz skeer'd, but I wa'n't so skeer'd dat I dunner w'at she
mean, en I des broke inter de bigges' kinder boo-hoo, en I say, sez I--

"'Make yo' peace, Miss Deely! make yo' peace, honey! kaze I gwine right
back ter dat baby ef de Lord spar' me. I gwine back, Miss Deely! I
gwine back!'

"Bless yo' soul, boss, right den en dar I know'd w'at bin a-pester'n'
un me, kaze des time I make up my min' fer ter come back ter dat baby,
hit look like I see my way mo' cle'r dan w'at it bin befo'. Arter dat I
lay dar, I did, en I lissen en I lissen, but I ain't year no mo'
callin' en no mo' cryin'; en bimeby I tuck de blanket fum off'n my
head, en lo en beholes, de stars done fade out, en day done come, en
dey wa'n't no fuss nowhars. De squinch-owl done hush, en de win' done
gone, en it look like de water done stop sneakin' en crawlin' und' de
bank.

"I riz up, I did, en shuck de stift'nes out'n my bones, en I look 'way
'cross de river ter de top er de hill whar de road lead. I look en I
say, sez I--

"'Maybe you leads ter freedom, but, bless God! I gwine back.'

"Des 'bout dat time I see de fe'ymun come down ter de flat en onloose
de chain, en make ez he wuz comin' 'cross arter me. Wid dat I raise up
my hat en tip 'im a bow, en dat's de las' I seed un 'im.

"I come back, I did," continued Mingo, reflectively, "en yer I is, en
yer I bin; en I ain't come none too soon, en I ain't stay none too
close, n'er, kaze I dunuer w'at mout er happin. Miss F'raishy been
mighty good, too, sho. She ain't useter niggers like some w'ite folks,
en she can't git 'long wid um, but she puts up wid me mighty well. I
tuck holt er de little piece er groun' w'at she had, en by de he'p er
de Lord we bin gittin on better dan lots er folks. It bin nip en tuck,
but ole tuck come out ahead, en it done got so now dat Miss P'raishy
kin put by some er de cotton money fer ter give de little gal a chance
w'en she git bigger. 'Twon't b'ar tellin' how smart dat chile is. She
got Miss Deely peanner, en, little ez she is, she kin pick mos' all de
chunes w'at her mammy useter pick. She sets at de peanner by de hour,
en whar she larnt it I be bless ef _I_ kin tell you--dat I can't!"

The little girl had grown tired of the services in the church, and ran
out just as the old man had put my horse to the buggy. Mingo knew a
shorter road to Rockville than that by