what I tells you."

"Yes, Dinah," said Hester, alarmed, notwithstanding, by the earnestness
and solemnity of her new friend, "what am I to do?"

"You come yar, an' don't moob whateber I does to you. Dere, I's goin'
to make you a nigger!"

She applied a large brush to Hester's forehead, and drew it thence down
her left cheek, under her chin, up the right cheek, and back to the
starting point, thus producing a black band or circle two inches broad.

"Now shut your bootiful eyes," she said, and proceeded to fill up the
circle.

In a quarter of an hour Hester was as black as the ace of spades--neck,
hands, and arms, as well as face--her fair hair was effectually covered
and concealed by a cotton kerchief, and then her dress was changed for
the characteristic costume of negro women.

"Now your own mudder wouldn't know you," said Dinah, stepping back to
survey her work, and, strange to say, putting her black head quite
artistically a little on one side. "You's a'most as good-lookin' as
myself--if you was on'y a little fatter. Now, mind, you's a dumb gal!
Can't speak a word. Don't forgit dat. An' your name's Geo'giana. Come
along."

Leaving her fine clothes concealed in a deep hole, Hester followed her
companion as fast as she could. On returning to the road Dinah took her
friend by the hand and helped her to run for a considerable distance.
Then they walked, and then ran again, until poor Hester was almost
exhausted.

Resuming their walk after a short rest, they gained the main road and
met with several people, who paid no attention to them whatever, much to
Hester's relief, for she had made sure of being detected. At last they
reached the city gate, which was still open, as the sun had not yet set.
Passing through unchallenged, Dinah at once dived into a maze of narrow
streets, and, for the first time since starting, felt comparatively
safe.

Fortunately for the success of their enterprise, the negress costume
fitted loosely, so that the elegance of Hester's form was not revealed,
and her exhaustion helped to damage the grace of her carriage!

"Now, dearie, you come in yar an' rest a bit," said Dinah, turning into
a dark cellar-like hole, from which issued both sounds and smells that
were not agreeable. It was the abode of one of Dinah's friends--also a
negress--who received her with effusive goodwill.

Retiring to the coal-hole--or some such dark receptacle--Dinah held her
friend in conversation for a