INSECT ENOtNB^ERlNO. 187 



the best beloved should inevitably arise on occasions of 

 sudden alarm. 



The Mistress is not a woman to give way long before 

 an vmseen trouble. In a moment she had rallied, and 

 demanded the cause of the excitement which she had 

 witnessed. 



Dan doflfed his hat, thrust his great gaunt hands 

 through his matted hair, and began a stammering ex- 

 planation. 



'• "W'}' — w'y, you see, Miss Mayfiel', I war gwine froo 

 de meadow while ago, and I sees Mars' Mayfiel' out 

 dar standin' by de fence-jjos'.- He had 'is little spy- 

 glass'n 'is 'an, and wur a-spyin' somethin' 'r odder. Jes 

 den—" 



The Mistress started to her feet. 



" Has he been hurt y Tell me !" 



"Hurt ? No, miss, not a' tall ; nuffin 'v the kin', I 

 do shore you. 'Z I wur sayin', jes den I seed 'im 

 jump de fence like a Avil' colt an' break off ober de 

 meadow like mad. He ran back and forrud, zigzaggin' 

 across de fiel' in de mos' cur'us way. Den he stopped 

 stock still, and went back to de fence and spied at an- 

 other pos', and off he goes ag'in like mad — " 



The old man emphasized the last word, cast a pecu- 

 liarly sad look toward the Mistress, and then went on, 

 with the circumlocution which his tender heart had 

 suggested : 



" Off he shoots agin, I say, jes like mad, and goes 

 froo wunst more dem wild zigzaggin' motions. I stood 

 'n watched 'im a w'ile, and then, clar to goodness, 



