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 all peaceful, and retired in thankfulness for the temporary lull. He was trembling in his shoes against the hour when the master should return and find him so unfaithful to his trust as to have admitted that curly-haired intruder upon their dignified privacy. Yet he encouraged himself with the reflection:

"Well, no need crossin' no bridges till you meet up with 'em, and this bridge ain't a crossin' till Massa Joe's key turns in that lock. Reckon I was guided to pick out that fine duck for dinner this night, I do. S'posin', now, the market had been poor? Huh! Every trouble sets better on a full stummick 'an a empty. Massa Joe's powerful fond of duck, lessen it's spoiled in the cookin'. I'll go warn that 'Pollo to be mighty careful it done to a turn."

Peter departed kitchen ward, where he tarried gossipping over the small guest above stairs and the probable outcome of her advent.

"Nobody what's a Christian goin' to turn a little gell outen their doors such an evenin' as this," said Apollo, deftly basting the fowl in the pan.