g the second time, went to the door; she remembered that the servant
was out.

Caroline and her sister Emma entered the study. Caroline set the lamp
on the table. They looked at the wall. "Oh, my God," gasped Mrs.
Brigham, "there are--there are two--shadows." The sisters stood
clutching each other, staring at the awful things on the wall. Then
Rebecca came in, staggering, with a telegram in her hand. "Here is--a
telegram," she gasped. "Henry is--dead."

MAJOR PERDUE'S BARGAIN

By JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS

Copyright 1899 by Charles Scribner's Sons.

When next I had an opportunity to talk with Aunt Minervy Ann, she
indulged in a hearty laugh before saying a word, and it was some time
before she found her voice.

"What is so funny to-day?" I inquired.

"Me, suh--nothin' tall 'bout me, an' 'tain't only ter day, nudder.
Hit's eve'y day sence I been big 'nuff fer to see myse'f in de spring
branch. I laughed den, an' I laugh now eve'y time I see myse'f in my
min'--ef I' got any min'. I wuz talkin' ter Hamp las' night an'
tellin' 'im how I start in ter tell you sump'n 'bout Marse Paul Conant'
shoulder, an' den eend up by tellin' you eve'ything else I know but dat.

"Hamp low, he did, 'Dat ain't nothin', bekaze when I ax you ter marry
me, you start in an' tell me 'bout a nigger gal 'cross dar in Jasper
County, which she make promise fer ter marry a man an' she crossed her
heart; an' den when de time come she stood up an' marry 'im an' fin'
out 'tain't de same man, but somebody what she ain't never see' befo'.'

"I 'speck dat's so, suh, bekaze dey wuz sump'n like dat happen in
Jasper County. You know de Waters fambly--dey kep' race-hosses. Well,
suh, 'twuz right on der plantation. Warren Waters tol' me 'bout dat
hisse'f. He wuz de hoss-trainer, an' he 'uz right dar on de groun'.
When de gal done married, she look up an' holler, 'You ain't my
husban', bekaze I ain't make no promise fer ter marry you.' De man he
laugh, an' say, 'Don't need no promise atter you done married.'

"Well, suh, dey say dat gal wuz skeer'd--skeer'd fer true. She sot on'
look in der fire. De man sot an' look at 'er. She try ter slip out de
do', an' he slipped wid 'er. She walked to'rds de big house, an' he
walkt wid 'er. She come back, an' he come wid 'er. She run an' he run
wid 'er. She cry an' he laugh at 'er. She dunner what to do. Bimeby
she tuck a notion dat de man mought be de Ol' Boy hisse'f, an' she
dropped dow