knew it was Jake's
handiwork. He had never seen the man, and shrank a little from meeting
him, knowing how infinitely superior to himself in a moral way the poor
African was. He remembered Mandy Ann perfectly, and recognized her as
she came to the door, shading her eyes with her hand to look at him;
then she disappeared suddenly, and Jake, who was at the rear of the
house, fixing a barrel to catch rain-water, was clutched by the arm, and
nearly thrown backwards, as the girl exclaimed: "For the Lawd's sake,
Jake, it's comin'--it's comin'--it's hyar!"

"What's comin'? The las' day, that you look so skeered?" Jake said,
while Mandy Ann continued: "De man from de Norf, Cunnel Crompton, you
call him--done come for lill chile!"

She put her apron over her face and began to cry, while Jake wiped his
hands, and hurrying round the house, met the Colonel just as he reached
the door. There was not the least servility in Jake's manner, although
it was respectful, as he said, "How d'ye, Mas'r Crompton. I'm shoo it's
you, an' I'se right glad to see you, though I 'spects you done come for
the lill chile, an' I feel fit to bust when I think of partin' wid her.
Walk in, walk in; take a cheer, an' I'll sen' Mandy Ann for de lill
chile. She's in de play-house I made her, jess dis side de graves, whar
she sits an' plays. Thar's a tree thar an' she calls it de shady."

"Thanks!" the Colonel said, taking a chair, while Jake went for Mandy
Ann, and found her struggling with the child, not far from the door.

The _chile_ had seen the stranger as soon as Mandy Ann; and as visitors
were rare at the cabin, and she was fond of society, she left her sand
pies, and her slice of bread and molasses, and started for the house,
meeting Mandy Ann, who seized her, saying, "Come an' have on a clean
frock and be _wassed_. Your face is all sticky, an' han's, too--an' de
gemman from de Norf, de Cunnel, is hyar."

As it happened, the _chile_ didn't approve of changing her dress and
having her face washed. She was in a hurry to see the gentleman, and she
pulled back, and fought, and called Mandy Ann an "ole nigger," and told
her to "leg-go," and finally wrenched herself free, and ran like a
little spider to the house, and into the room where the Colonel was
sitting. Starting to his feet he stood looking down at the mite staring
at him with her great dark eyes, in which was a look which had puzzled
the Rev. Mr. Mason when he saw her at her mother's funeral.