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 A sudden dark flame blazed in Serena's face, sweeping the acquired complacency before it, and changing it utterly. She leant forward, and spoke heavily:

"Dat nigger bes' t'ank he Gawd dat I gots My Jedus now fuh hol' back my han'!"

"Yuh ain't means dat yuh is goin' tuh gib um up tuh de w'ite folks ef he come back to town, 'stead ob settle wid um yu'self?" Maria asked incredulously.

"I ain't know wut fuh do," the other replied, the hatred in her face giving way to a look of perplexity. "Ef dat nigger come tuh town he sho tuh git kill' sooner er later. Den de w'ite folks goin' lock me up. Dey gots it on de writin's now dat I been Robbins' wife; an' dey goin' figger I like as not kill um. I knows two people git lock up dat way, an' dey ain't do one Gawd t'ing."

"Nigger sho' gots fuh keep he eye open in dis worl'," the big negress observed. "But we can't turn no nigger ober tuh de police."

A man paused before the entrance of the court, and looked in. To the two women he was only a silhouette standing under the arch against a dazzling expanse of bay; but the foppish outlines of the indolent, slender figure were unmistakable.

A smile of pleased anticipation grew about