htening shadow--Starvation.

But in these gloomy thoughts she was not entirely alone. All that
troubled her and more, though perhaps in a different way, passed hourly
through the old gray kinky head of Uncle Billy who happened at this very
moment to be emerging stealthily from the woods below the house. Slowly
and deliberately he made his way toward the front till he reached a
bench where he sat down under a tree to ruminate over the situation and
inspect the feathered prize which he had lately acquired by certain,
devious means known only to Uncle Billy. Wiping his forehead with his
ragged sleeve and holding the bird up by its tied feet he regarded it
with the eye of an expert, and the fatigue of one who has been sorely
put to it in order to accomplish his purpose.

"It 'pears to me," said Uncle Billy, "dat des' when you needs 'em the
mostest the chickens goes to roosting higher 'n' higher. Rooster--I
wonder who you b'longs to. Um-_um_!" he murmured as he thoughtfully
sounded the rooster's well developed chest through the feathers. "From
de feelin' of you, my son, I 'spec' you was raise' by one er de ol'es'
fam'lies what is!"

But Uncle Billy knew the fortunes of the Cary family far too well to
mourn over the probable toughness of his booty, and as he rose up from
the seat and meandered toward the kitchen, his old, wrinkled face broke
into a broad smile of satisfaction over the surprise he had in store.
"Well--after I done parbile you, I reckon Miss Hallie be mighty glad to
see you. Yas, _seh_!"

But as Uncle Billy walked slowly along beside the hedge which shielded
the house on one side he heard a sound which made him halt. A young
negro, coming from the rear, had dodged behind the hedge and was trying
to keep out of his sight.

"Hi, dar! You, Jeems Henry!" shouted Uncle Billy, instantly suspicious
of such maneuvers. "Come heh! Hear _me_! Come heh!"

At this sudden command a young mulatto, hesitating, came through a break
in the hedge and stood looking at him, sullen and silent. In his hands
he carried a small bundle done up in a colored handkerchief and on this
guilty piece of baggage Uncle Billy's eye immediately fastened with an
angry frown.

"Whar you gwine?" demanded Uncle Billy, with an accusing finger
trembling at the bundle.

The younger man made no reply.

"Hear _me_?" the elder demanded again in rising tones of severity.
"Ain't you got no tongue in yo' haid? Whar you gwine?"

Shifting from one f