e saw the latter approach--"haven't I always
treated my people right? Haven't I always given them everything in
the world they ought to have?"

"Yes, Judge, that's the truth, and any neighbor of yours will say
it," assented Dunwody as he joined the group. "What's wrong then?
This Lily girl run off again? Seems to me you told me about her."

"Yes," said Judge Clayton, rubbing a finger across his chin in
perturbation, "the poor thing doesn't know when she's well off.
But what am I to do with her, that's the question? I don't believe
in whipping; but in this case, Wilson, I'm going to turn over those
two boys to you. I won't have the girl whipped even yet. I'll see
you when we get down to Cairo," he added, turning away. "We'll
have to change there to the Sally Lee, for the Vernon doesn't stop
at our landing. She's going straight through to Memphis."

As Judge Clayton walked away, Dunwody turned to the overseer, whom
he had seen before on the Clayton plantations.

"So you had trouble this time?" he ventured.

"Heap of it, sir," replied the overseer, taking off his cap. "It
was that fine yaller lady there that made most of it. She's the
one that's a-fo_mint_in' trouble right along. She's a quiet
lookin' gal, but she ain't. It's all right what the jedge says to
me, but I'm goin' to have a little settle_ment_ with this fine lady
myself, this time."

The girl heard him plainly enough, but only turned moodily back
toward the coil of rope where sat the two blacks who had been her
companions. From these she kept her skirt as remote as though they
were not of her station. Dunwody approached the overseer, and put
a gold double-eagle in his hand.

"Listen here, Wilson," said he, "you seem to be able to handle such
people discreetly. Now I've got a prisoner along, up-stairs,
myself--never mind who she is or how she comes here. As you know,
I'm a United States marshal for this district, and this prisoner
has been turned over to me. I'm going on up home, beyond St.
Genevieve, and I've got to change down there at Cairo myself, to
take the up-river boat."

"Mulattress?" listlessly inquired Wilson, after grinning at the
coin. "They're the wust. I'd rather handle straight niggers my
own self."

"Well," said Dunwody, "now that you mention it, I don't know but
they would be easier to handle. This prisoner is about as tall as
that girl yonder, and she's a whole lot lighter, do you understand?
Of a dark night--s