Page:Milady at Arms (1937).pdf/172

 longed somewhere when I ha' a baby i' my arms," said Sally shyly.

Tis true, a baby doth gi' one that feeling!" Mistress Munn returned understandingly. "Poor little maid!" she added to herself. And late that night she related the pathetic little remark to her husband, whose kind face softened as he listened.

"Aye," he nodded, and his voice was full of sympathy. "I do fear the poor little lass hath ne'er known a home, for Mistress Todd, from what I ha' heard, did not make her welcome and doth possess a shrew's tongue!"

But that was much later. Now, Mistress Munn was about to insist that Sally let her carry the child, for the girl's face was crimson and her breath came in great panting gasps, when a negress came hurrying back through the fields to meet Sally.

"Missy Keturah, she done tole me to ca'y the baby fo' you-all," she reported.

"Aye, Sally, let Chloe do so, for I think she is to take care o' the little fellow for Mistress Williams and ye are to return to the kitchen to wait on guard, as soon as ever ye see where we are to do our work out here," interposed Mistress Munn. So Sally placed little Nathaniel in the slave's outstretched arms and followed Mistress Munn.

Arrived at the selected site, the girl found there a busy scene. For a little space around, the corn