hearts and brought up this forsaken child. You surely deserve your
reward."

"I don' want no reward," the colored woman replied. "I had my reward
ebery day dis chile lib. Wat you t'ink a lil' bread an' a shelterin'
roof mean to yer when yer hab a lily like dis by you' side? An' oh, how
is I eber ter git on wid her away?"

"I haven't gone yet, Mammy," Hertha said with an attempt at a laugh.
"I'm right here."

"No, but I can't keep you no longer; you's crossed de line when you is
Miss Hertha Ogilvie. You's gone across."

"Well, I'm Hertha Williams just at present, and I'm going to see how
Ellen's sweet potatoes are getting on," and she left the room.

When she returned a few minutes later she found Mr. Merryvale seated in
the rocker while Aunt Maggie stood by the table. He rose as she entered,
a tribute he had never paid her before. The girl felt it acutely as the
old woman had remained standing while the man sat. "White, white,
white," she said to herself. "That's the way the people treat you when
you're white. I'm white now, and they'll rise when I enter the room, and
they'll serve me instead of my serving them."

"Supper is most ready, Mammy," she called out. "Ellen will bring in the
potatoes as soon as you tell her to."

She tried to ignore their visitor, but he was oblivious of her attempt.

"Your mammy and I have been talking things over," he said, "and we
think, Hertha, that it would be well for you to go home with me. I came
to reiterate Miss Patty's invitation. Come and visit with us until you
decide what you will do and whether you desire to go away to complete
your education."

"This is my home." The girl's voice trembled despite her efforts to
control it. "Mammy has told me she won't turn me out."

"Turn you out, my baby!"

"Yes, I'm the baby you took in, Mammy, and I want to stay on here now
with you. Don't send me away! Ellen," she called into the kitchen, "come
in, won't you?"

Ellen appeared at the doorway and all three turned to her expectantly:
Mr. Merryvale, tall, quiet; Mammy, tearful, bewildered; and Hertha with
the new excited look upon her face. "Ellen," she cried again, "don't let
them take me from my only home!"

The colored girl put down the dish that she was carrying and said to the
gentleman who stood looking at her so pleasantly and yet with such a
gently persistent manner: "Hertha is very tired, Mr. Merryvale, I think
she had better eat a little supper and then go right to bed