f thoroughly wet and chilled, and this had brought on
an attack of acute rheumatism, which Mandy had pointed out to him as a
direct judgment of heaven. Jim scoffed at first, but Mandy grew more
and more earnest, and finally, with the racking of the pain, he waxed
serious and determined to look to the state of his soul as a means to
the good of his body.

"Hit do seem," Mandy said, "dat Jim feel de weight o' his sins mos'
powahful."

"I reckon hit's de rheumatics," said Dinah.

[Illustration: JIM.]

"Don' mek no diffunce what de inst'ument is," Mandy replied, "hit's de
'sult, hit's de 'sult."

When the news reached Stuart Mordaunt's ears he became intensely
interested. Anything that would convert Jim, and make a model
Christian of him would be providential on that plantation. It would
save the overseers many an hour's worry; his horses, many a secret
ride; and the other servants, many a broken head. So he again went
down to labor with Parker in the interest of the sinner.

"Is he mou'nin' yit?" said Parker.

"No, not yet, but I think now is a good time to sow the seeds in his
mind."

"Oomph," said the old man, "reckon you bettah let Jim alone twell dem
sins o' his'n git him to tossin' an' cryin' an' a mou'nin'. Den'll be
time enough to strive wid him. I's allus willin' to do my pa't, Mas'
Stuart, but w'en hit comes to ol' time sinnahs lak Jim, I believe in
layin' off, an' lettin' de sperit do de strivin'."

"But Parker," said his master, "you yourself know that the Bible says
that the spirit will not always strive."

"Well, la den, mas', you don' spec' I gwine outdo de sperit."

But Stuart Mordaunt was particularly anxious that Jim's steps might be
turned in the right direction. He knew just what a strong hold over
their minds the Negroes' own emotional religion had, and he felt that
could he once get Jim inside the pale of the church, and put him on
guard of his salvation, it would mean the loss of fewer of his shoats
and pullets. So he approached the old preacher, and said in a
confidential tone.

"Now look here, Parker, I've got a fine lot of that good old tobacco
you like so up to the big house, and I'll tell you what I'll do. If
you'll just try to work on Jim, and get his feet in the right path,
you can come up and take all you want."

"Oom-oomph," said the old man, "dat sho' is monst'ous fine terbaccer,
Mas' Stua't."

"Yes, it is, and you shall have all you want of it."

"Well, I'll have a