m if he did."

"I am speaking seriously, Preston. It is no use to talk that way."

"I am speaking very seriously," said my cousin. "I would shoot him,
upon my honour."

"Shoot him!"

"Certainly."

"What right have you to shoot a man for doing no worse than you do? I
would _rather_ somebody would knock me down, than do what you did
yesterday." And my heart swelled within me.

"Come, Daisy, be a little sensible!" said Preston, who was in a fume
of impatience. "Do you think there is no difference between me and an
old nigger?"

"A great deal of difference," I said. "He is old and good; and you are
young, and I wish you were as good as Darry. And then he can't help
himself without perhaps losing his place, no matter how you insult
him. I think it is cowardly."

"Insult!" said Preston. "Lose his place! Heavens and earth, Daisy! are
you such a simpleton?"

"You insulted him badly yesterday. I wondered how he bore it of you;
only Darry is a Christian."

"A fiddlestick!" said Preston impatiently. "He knows he must bear
whatever I choose to give him; and therein he is wiser than you are."

"Because he is a Christian," said I.

"I don't know whether he is a Christian or not; and it is nothing to
the purpose. I don't care what he is."

"Oh, Preston! he is a good man--he is a servant of God; he will wear a
crown of gold in heaven; and you have dared to touch him."

"Why, hoity, toity!" said Preston, "what concern of mine is all that!
All I know is, that he did not do what I ordered him."

"What did you order him?"

"I ordered him not to show you the saddle I had got for you, till I
was here. I was going to surprise you. I am provoked at him!"

"I am surprised," I said. But feeling how little I prevailed with
Preston, and being weak in body as well as mind, I could not keep back
the tears. I began to walk on again, though they blinded me.

"Daisy, don't be foolish. If Darry is to wear two crowns in the other
world, he is a servant in this, all the same; and he must do his
duty."

"I asked for the saddle," I said.

"Why, Daisy, Daisy!" Preston exclaimed, "don't be such a child. You
know nothing about it. I didn't touch Darry to hurt him."

"It was a sort of hurt that if he had not been a Christian he would
have made you sorry for."

"He knows I would shoot him if he did," said Preston coolly.

"Preston, don't speak so!" I pleaded.

"It is the simple truth. Why shouldn't I speak it?"

"You do not mean