-midnight and snow-storm, notwithstanding. We are not accustomed to
domicile with such wretches," said the old lady grimly.

Berenice was not prepared for this extreme issue; Mrs. Brudenell's
threat of departing with her daughters at midnight, and in the storm,
shocked and alarmed her; and the other words reawakened her jealous
misgivings. Dropping the hand that she had laid protectingly upon Nora's
shoulder, she said:

"It shall be as you please, madam. I shall not interfere again."

This altercation had now aroused poor Nora to the consciousness that she
herself was a cause of dispute between the two ladies; so putting her
hand to her forehead and looking around in a bewildered way, she said:

"No; it is true; I have no right to stop here now; I will go!"

"Jovial," said Berenice, addressing the negro, "have you a wife and a
cabin of your own?"

"Yes, madam; at your sarvice."

"Then let it be at my service in good earnest to-night, Jovial; take
this poor girl home, and ask your wife to take care of her to-night; and
receive this as your compensation," she said, putting a piece of gold in
the hand of the man.

"There can be no objection to that, I suppose, madam?" she inquired of
Mrs. Brudenell.

"None in the world, unless Dinah objects; it is not every honest negro
woman that will consent to have a creature like that thrust upon her.
Take her away, Jovial!"

"Come, Miss Nora, honey; my ole 'oman aint agwine to turn you away for
your misfortins: we leabes dat to white folk; she'll be a mother to you,
honey; and I'll be a father; an' I wish in my soul as I knowed de man as
wronged you; if I did, if I didn't give him a skin-full ob broken bones
if he was as white as cotton wool, if I didn't, my name aint Mr. Jovial
Brudenell, esquire, and I aint no gentleman. And if Mr. Reuben Gray
don't hunt him up and punish him, he aint no gentleman, neither!" said
Jovial, as he carefully led his half fainting charge along the passages
back to the kitchen.

The servants had all gone to bed, except Jovial, whose duty it was, as
major-domo, to go all around the house the last thing at night to fasten
the doors and windows and put out the fires and lights. So when they
reached the kitchen it was empty, though a fine fire was burning in the
ample chimney.

"There, my poor hunted hare, you sit down there an' warm yourself good,
while I go an' wake up my ole 'oman, an' fetch her here to get something
hot for you, afore takin'